We Just Can't Catch a Break
by pUrE.CrimSon.FlAmEz11
Summary: A hero defies his destiny and saves his friends by sacrificing himself to kill Gaea but he is still needed to save the world from future threats. Without him the world is doomed so The Three Fates decided to intervene. What do they do? Read to find out! This is your usual demigods time travel and read the books story. Enjoy! :)
1. Prologue

A/N: Hello guys! This is my first time writing a PJO-HoO fanfiction so cut me some slack. Please? Anyway, one reader of my other story asked me to write a "reading the book" story about PJO and HoO so here it is! I hope you guys like this! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them and he's so awesome because of it! :)

* * *

 **Prologue**

Somewhere Unknown-2010

The Three Fates were currently watching the preparation for the funeral ceremony at Camp Half Blood.

Everyone was crying and mourning for the deaths and casualties in the Second Giant War.

"He should not have died." Said Atropos.

Lachesis nodded and continued, "He fought against his destiny and saved all his friends in exchange for his life."

Clotho looked at her sisters and said, "But he doomed the world for that and we cannot let that happen. We must intervene. Let us go and meet Jason Grace, sisters."

The fates suddenly vanished.

Cabin 1 – Camp Half Blood-2010

Jason Grace was sitting on his bed and mourning for the loss of his friend, his brother in everything but blood, when there was a flash behind him.

Assuming that the visitor was his father, Jupiter, he said without turning around, "Father, I am not in the mood. We lost a lot on this war. I don't want to talk. Please leave."

But he suddenly jumped when he unexpectedly heard the voice of old ladies. "Jason Grace, we are not your father. Turn around and face us."

' _What the? Definitely not dad.' Thought Jason as he turned around to see three old ladies._

"Who are you?" Asked Jason.

"We are the Fates." Answered the old ladies.

Jason's eyes widened in shock but that didn't stop him from asking angrily, "Okay. So what do you guys want? I don't mean to disrespect but I'm not exactly in a mood for another errand. No one here is because as you can see we are preparing for a funeral ceremony for the demigods who died."

The old lady in the right then said, "I am Clotho. We are here to give you another chance so calm yourself, demigod."

The one in middle continued, "I am Lachesis. Someone was not supposed to die in the battle against Gaea and I am sure you know who we are talking about."

Jason gasped and asked, "A - are you saying that we – I can save him?"

The last of the sisters answered him, "I am Atropos. Yes, you can save him. We will tell you the details when we come back for you."

Jason stood up and hastily said, "Wait! Why can't you tell me now?"

The three sisters spoke in sync, "Patience, Son of Jupiter. As you have said, you are preparing for a funeral. We understand the significance of that. Make your peace with your fallen comrades first. We will return for you after the ceremony. You must not tell this to your friends here. We will meet again. Goodbye for now, Jason Grace."

And with that the three fates disappeared and Jason was left in the cabin contemplating the conversation that he just had with the sisters.

' _What would they have me do? Go to the underworld and retrieve his soul? It doesn't matter. As long as I can save him, I'll do it. We are not losing a family member.'_

With these thoughts, Jason stood up to leave his cabin with determination and hope burning brightly in him.

* * *

A/N: Soooo how was it? Review please! :)

~Lalabella


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Here is chapter 1! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

McDonald's-2009

Two months since the defeat of Kronos, Titan of Time, the children of the big three are seen eating lunch at McDonald's having their bi-monthly BTCBT. They were peacefully eating their meals when suddenly they are engulfed in a bright light.

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

The Olympians are having their annual Winter Solstice Meeting which of course involved their usual petty fights. Their fights seized when there was a bright light at the center of the throne room and when the light dimmed, there appeared three children on the floor. The gods and goddesses were silenced by the shock of some people interrupting their meeting. They stared at the kids when the taller boy talked.

"What the hell? What happened? Where are we?" The boy was about to look around but stopped because the smaller boy wailed. "My happy meal! Where is my happy meal?"

This caught the attention of the sole female in the group as she looked in front of her and groaned, "My cheeseburger is gone! I haven't even taken a bite." She looked at her the taller guy and saw that he was holding a cheeseburger. "Percy! You still have your cheeseburger! Give it to me!" The girl suddenly lunged at the guy trying to grab his food.

Percy now turned his attention to the girl and tried to keep her away from the burger. "Thals, stop! This is mine."

The two continued to fight over the burger and the other boy continued to whine about his happy meal. The Olympians were now confused and angry at the kids who dared intrude in Olympus. Zeus was about blast them when suddenly a light shone again then a table with food appeared in the middle of the arguing kids. The kids looked at the table and the boy called Percy stood up and went to the table.

"Hey Thals! Your cheeseburger is here! And Nics, your happy meal too!"

Nico and Thalia bolted to the table and took their meals. With the problem solved, the boy named Percy looked around and finally saw the Olympians.

Percy groaned and said, "Um, Thals, maybe you and Nics should turn around."

The girl and the other boy sensing the nervous vibe from Percy slowly turned around and they gasped as they saw the gods and goddesses. The trio knelt down while Thalia angrily accused Percy, "What did you do now, Kelp Head?"

Percy looked at the girl on his left and defended himself. "I didn't do anything!"

The boy on his right suddenly said mockingly, "Well, if you didn't do anything then why are we here?"

Percy looked at his other companion and incredulously retorted, "I don't know. Why don't the two of you ask yourselves if you've done anything?"

The girl was about to reply when Zeus' voice boomed in the throne room. "Who are you?"

The trio exchanged confused looks and Percy replied, "You don't know us? Didn't you summon us, Lord Zeus?"

Zeus looked offended and said angrily, "Why would I know you puny mortals? And how dare you interrupt our Winter Solstice Meeting?"

The three kids now looked more confused and said together, "Winter Solstice?"

Zeus was about to lose his patience when Hestia spoke, "Calm down, brother. The kids looked so puzzled. Let me talk to them."

Hestia shrunk down to the size of normal human, approached the three kids and teleported them outside the throne room. "You can stand up. Now, tell me what happened."

The three stood up and Percy started to speak, "Um, Aunt Hestia."

Hestia cut him off, "Aunt?" His friends snickered.

Percy stiffened and quickly said, "Uh, you told us we can call you Aunt Hestia but that's not important right now. We were just eating lunch then next thing we know is we are here. We thought you summoned us but you don't even know us. But, um, can I ask a question?"

Hestia smiled at the boy, somehow she felt happy seeing these kids, and gestured him to go ask away.

"Why are you having a Winter Solstice Meeting in October?" Hestia frowned at this and said, "October? Are you sure you're alright, child? It's December 21 today."

The two kids stopped laughing at their friend and looked at each other baffled at the information.

Thalia suddenly spoke to Hestia and said, "Aunt, uh, I mean, Lady Hestia, can I ask what year is it?"

Hestia looked confused but still smiled, "You can call me Aunt Hestia if you want. It seems to me that you children are used to calling me that and to answer your question, the year now is 2003."

The trio took a step back, shock and disbelief evident on their faces and simultaneously said, "Oh my gods. No way."

Hestia was about to ask them what was wrong when a note fell above them. Hestia took the note and read it. "I see now. Come on you three. We have lots to discuss with our family."

The three kids stared at her bewildered and she just winked at them before teleporting them back to the throne room. There the other gods and goddesses were seated at their thrones and were waiting for Hestia and the kids.

"So sister, can you tell us what you found out?" Asked Hera.

Hestia smiled so bright that the Olympians were curious as to why their sister/aunt was so happy. "The kids didn't know anything but I received a note from the Three Fates." Hestia raised the paper in her hands and continued, "This note explains why they are here."

The Olympians exchanged glances while Athena stood up and shrunk to human size and approached Hestia to get the note. "May I, Lady Hestia?" Hestia just smiled and gave the note to Athena. Athena read the note as Hestia took the kids and led them to a couch that she produced for them to sit and told them they can finish eating their food. The kids just nodded at this and resumed eating even if they were clearly still disoriented because of the current situation that they are in.

"Well, daughter, read to us what the note says." Athena looked at her father, Zeus, and read the note.

"Dear Gods, Goddesses and Demigods,

Something had unexpectedly gone wrong in the future and we just had to intervene. We have sent these demigods from the future to read books about the events of the future and with these hopefully we can all save the future. We will send more demigods as the reading progresses. They can't be sent right now for they had something to attend to first.

Sincerely,

The Fates

PS: Please no killing and blasting the demigods. And yes, we are talking to you too, Lord Zeus.

PPS: Demigods, you will feel as you have felt then."

All the Olympians except Hestia stared at Athena, who was making her way back to her throne, then to the three demigods on the couch.

The demigods shifted on their seat and looked uncomfortable at the stares so Hestia, who was now tending to the hearth, coughed to snap the other Olympians in their daze.

Zeus straightened on his throne and said, "Well, we can't defy the Fates. Introduce yourselves."

The three kids stood up and went to the center of the throne room. They looked at each other and then the shorter boy said to the girl, "You should go first. You have the least chance of getting blasted. I'll go next because well they have no right to blast me. Perce, you go last you have the highest chance of being blasted."

The other boy nodded and shuddered at the thought of being blasted to pieces while the girl just nodded and bravely stepped forward.

"I am Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis."

All the Olympians stared at her in shock. "Thalia is that really you? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Thalia sighed and said, "Yes, Father. I was revived because of -" Thalia was cut off because her voice was suddenly gone.

The two boys on her right looked at her and Percy said, "Looks like we can't say what happens in the future."

Thalia just groaned and said to her father, "Looks like I can't tell you how so we just have to wait. Maybe it is in the books."

Artemis stared at her with curiosity and thought, _'If she is the new lieutenant of my hunters then what happened to Zoe?'_

Zeus just frowned and gestured them to continue with the introduction. Thalia took a step back and the boy on Percy's right stepped forward.

"I am Nico di Angelo, son of Hades." Zeus looked so outraged and was about to reach for his master bolt when Nico continued, "And before you all accuse my dad, I was born before the oath and had been living in the Lotus Hotel and Casino for 70 years. And you should know me Lord Zeus, you tried to kill me before." Nico glared at Zeus and Zeus just chuckled nervously. "I – I don't think I remember that."

Nico just sighed and looked at his father and smiled reassuringly at him. This made Hades smile back at his son. _'Looks like he's safe Maria but I wonder where Bianca is.'_

Demeter just scoffed and grumbled to herself about brother-kidnapping-sister's daughter and cheating.

Nico took a step back and Percy stepped nervously forward. Nico and Thalia exchanged glances behind him and nodded at each other.

"Hi. Um, I am Percy Jackson." Percy was interrupted by Nico and Thalia saying, "Perseus." Percy glared at them but it wasn't that scary because he was too nervous while Poseidon suddenly sat up straight on his throne recognizing who the boy is and is now holding his trident.

"Um, like they said, I am Perseus Jackson but please call me Percy, um, son of Poseidon."

There was an eerie silence for a few seconds then all hell breaks loose.

"POSEIDON YOU BROKE THE OATH!" Zeus reached for his master bolt and was about to blast Percy when Thalia and Nico stepped in front of Percy with their arms spread wide open as if to protect him.

"Nico! Move away from there! Zeus! If you hurt my son, you will have the war of your life." Hades was about to go to Nico when Nico looked at him and shook his head telling his dad to stay where he is. Hades frowned but decided to do what his son wants.

"Zeus! You broke the oath first but I never tried to harm your child so don't you dare hurt my son!" Poseidon was now standing up too and pointing his trident at his brother. All the other Olympians except Ares, who looked too amused at the prospect of a fight, were standing up too preparing to stop the two brothers from fighting if they do.

"Don't you dare, Father." Thalia's threat hung in the air and everyone stared at her in shock, fear and concern.

"Step away from the boy, Thalia." Ordered Zeus but Thalia just stared defiantly at him.

Percy snapping out of his daze put a hand on Thalia's shoulder and said, "I think you should move, Thals. You too, Nico. I don't want the two of you hurt because of me."

The two cousins looked back at Percy and smiled.

"Kelp head, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for me. I won't let dad take a brother away from me." Percy looked at Thalia and smiled gratefully at what she said.

"And Perce, you're always saving us. For once, let us do the saving, okay?" Percy looked at Nico and he noticed how much he had grown since the first time he met him. Percy smiled at him too and nodded.

The Olympians were stunned to see the children of the big three getting along so well which is the total opposites of their fathers.

"Father, Uncle Poseidon is right." There was mumbling in the throne room on how Thalia called the sea god. Thalia just smiled at Poseidon who was looking at her stunned. "You told Nico and me that we can call you that in the future. Anyway, Father, Kelp Head and Death Breath here are part of my family, more like little brothers than cousins, so I won't let you take them away from me." The words "not again" was left unsaid but Hera and Zeus understood that she meant it like that.

"Husband, calm down. The Fates specifically told us to not kill the demigods so put down your weapon and let's get this over with." Zeus held the hand that Hera put on his shoulder and calmed down. As he put his weapon away, all the other Olympians calmed down too and sat back to their thrones. Thalia and Nico grinned at each other and pulled Percy back to the couch as he sighed in relief.

"Now that's over, where are these books that we are supposed read?" Asked Hermes as he tried to lighten up the mood. Suddenly there is a light on him and then two sets of book appeared on his lap.

He grabbed each set with his hands and examined it. "Huh, this one on my right hand has a note with the number one on it and this one on my left says number two. So it looks like this is the one that we read first. Hmm. Let me see. Ah! Here it is. This book has the number 1 in the front so I'm pretty sure this is the first book. I'll read first since I'm already holding it. Shall we start?"

Series of nods, grunts and okays were heard in the room so Hermes took that as a sign to start.

" **Chapter 1** , **I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher …** "

* * *

A/N: First chapter done! So what do you think? Review please!

~Lalabella


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

After Hermes said the title of the first chapter, Percy groaned, "Oh gods. It looks like the books are in my point of view."

Hermes chuckled at his cousin thinking that this might actually be fun. Poseidon stared at his son with worried eyes. Ares laughed, amused at this little demigod. All the other gods and goddesses just looked plain shocked. Nico and Thalia chuckled at Percy as Nico said, "Typical Percy."

Percy grunted at his cousins and murmured to himself, "You won't be laughing at me when you find out who my teacher is." His cousins looked like they didn't hear him as they still were trying to stop themselves from laughing.

 **Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.**

"Who does?" Asked Thalia.

 **If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.**

"That would work for a while but not forever, Sea Spawn."

Everyone in the room nodded at what Athena said.

 **Being a half-blood is dangerous.**

Percy nodded, "Check."

 **It's scary.**

Nico hummed, "Check."

 **Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.**

Thalia shuddered, "Check. And you might also end up getting turned into a tree." The two boys with her nodded at this while all the immortals in the room looked sad at what their children had to go through.

 **If you're a normal kid… I envy you... But if you recognize yourself in these pages… stop reading immediately. You might be one of us… it's only a matter of time… and they'll come for you.**

 **Don't say I didn't warn you.**

A simultaneous "You didn't warn me!" came from Thalia, Nico, Apollo and Hermes was heard in the throne room.

Percy groaned and looked at Hermes and Apollo annoyed, "You guys didn't need to be warned! You're gods!" Percy then shifted his gaze at his cousin Nico, pointed at him and sarcastically said, "Well, I'm sorry, Nics. I was busy trying to protect you and fending off the poison in my body." Nico just laughed at him and then Percy glared and pointed at Thalia, "And you! You knew that you were a demigod way before I discovered that I was one and by that time you were a tree." Thalia grinned at this as Percy just sighed and gestured Hermes to continue reading.

 **My name is Percy Jackson.**

"No. You're Peter Johnson!" Yelled Thalia and Nico in a singsong voice.

The gods and goddesses just looked weirdly at the two demigods who were trying to stop themselves from laughing so much.

 **I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy… in upstate New York. Am I a troubled kid? Yeah. You could say that.**

Percy just glared at his cousins who were just about to say something and that made them shut up.

 **I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it… heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff. I know – it sounds like torture... But Mr Brunner… was leading this trip, so I had hopes. Mr Brunner was this middle-aged guy in a motorized wheelchair... he was the only teacher whose class didn't put me to sleep.**

Everyone in the room thought that Mr. Brunner sounds familiar and was trying to figure out who he was except Percy who already knew who he was and Athena who was thinking about something else.

"You sleep in class?!" Athena was scandalized to know that someone was sleeping in class.

Percy looked down sadly and said, "Mortal teachers were resigned to the fact that I was stupid and won't be able to learn anything so they didn't even try to help me and just ignored me. ADHD and dyslexia are a really bad combination for a child going to school."

His cousins both put a comforting hand on their cousin's shoulder and glared at Athena who just grumbled about excuses and laziness while Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Aphrodite, Demeter and Hera looked at the demigods with pity.

 **I hoped the trip would be okay… Boy, was I wrong. See, bad things happen to me on field trips. Like at my fifth-grade school… I had this accident with a Revolutionary War cannon. I wasn't aiming for the school bus… I got expelled anyway.**

Ares smirked at Percy which creeped out the son of Poseidon. Poseidon just shook his head amused at how much of a troublemaker his son is.

 **And before that, at my fourth-grade school… tour of the Marine World shark pool, I sort of hit the wrong lever on the catwalk and our class took an unplanned swim. And the time before that… Well, you get the idea.**

"No! Tell us more!" Shouted Hermes and that broke the tension in the room as the demigods laughed at Hermes.

"Uncle P, your son is awesome! You must tell us more later, little cousin." Percy just grinned at Hermes and Apollo.

 **This trip, I was determined to be good… I put up with Nancy Bobofit… hitting my best friend, Grover, in the back of the head with chunks of peanut butter-and-ketchup sandwich.**

Percy frowned while Thalia and Nico growled.

 **Grover was an easy target. He was scrawny. He cried when he got frustrated… On top of all that, he was crippled.**

Thalia chuckled deviously and said, "I'm so going to tell Grover this when we get back." Percy grunted and pleaded, "Please, don't."

 **He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life… but don't let that fool you. You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.**

Dionysus snorted, "Satyrs, they always blow their cover."

The three demigods stared at him surprised that he was actually listening.

 **Anyway, Nancy Bobofit was throwing wads of sandwich... The headmaster had threatened me with death**

Poseidon's eyes widened and furiously said, "WHAT?! Is that even allowed in a school for mortals?"

Percy chuckled at his overprotective father and signaled Hermes to continue reading.

 **-by-in-school-suspension if anything bad, embarrassing, or even mildly entertaining happened on this trip.**

"Oh." Poseidon just blushed while the others in the room laughed at him.

' **I'm going to kill her,' I mumbled.**

"Do it!" Ares was leaning forward in his throne excited for the action that might happen.

Aphrodite smacked his arm and glared at him but Ares didn't even look at her.

 **Grover tried to calm me down. 'It's okay. I like peanut butter.' … 'That's it.' I started to get up, but Grover pulled me back to my seat.**

' **You're already on probation,' he reminded me…**

Ares leaned back on his throne and grumbled, "This book is boring. It needs more action."

Percy just rolled his eyes at this.

 **Looking back on it, I wish I'd decked Nancy Bobofit… nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into.**

' _That doesn't sound good.' Thought Poseidon._

 **Mr Brunner led the museum tour… It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years.**

"Longer." Chided the immortals.

 **He gathered us around… I was trying to listen to what he had to say… and every time I told them to shut up, the other teacher chaperone, Mrs Dodds, would give me the evil eye.**

Nico gasped and looked at Percy worriedly remembering someone that he had heard Percy call Mrs. Dodds in the future.

 **Mrs Dodds was this little maths teacher... She had come to Yancy halfway through the year, when our last maths teacher had a nervous breakdown.**

Hades hummed to himself. _'Why do I feel like I know her?'_

 **From her first day, Mrs Dodds loved Nancy Bobofit… I told Grover I didn't think Mrs Dodds was human…'You're absolutely right.'**

 **Mr Brunner kept talking... Finally, Nancy Bobofit snickered… 'Will you shut up?' It came out louder than I meant it to… Mr Brunner stopped his story.**

' **Mr Jackson,' he said, 'did you have a comment?' My face was totally red. I said, 'No, sir.'**

 **Mr Brunner pointed... 'Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?' I looked at the carving… I actually recognized it. 'That's Kronos eating his kids, right?'**

Poseidon and Hades groaned together with their sisters as Demeter said, "It really had to be that?"

' **Yes,' Mr Brunner said, obviously not satisfied. 'And he did this because…'**

' **Well…' I racked my brain to remember. 'Kronos was the king god, and –'**

Zeus' angry voice boomed so loud in the throne room that Percy and his cousins had to cover their ears with their hands. "GOD? I should blast you for that, demigod!"

"Wait, Lord Zeus. Chi- I mean, Mr. Brunner will correct me." Zeus settled down.

' **God?' Mr Brunner asked.**

' **Titan,' I corrected myself. 'And… he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead.**

Zeus smiled, "Mother always loved me best." but Hades argued, "I think it's just because you were the only one that looked so much like a rock that Mother can trick Father into thinking that you were the rock. Poseidon gave Hades a high-five while their sisters chuckled. Zeus was about to protest but Hera, who was trying not to laugh at her husband, stopped him by telling Hermes to continue reading.

 **And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters –'**

' **Eeew!' said one of the girls behind me.**

Demeter scoffed, "If that was disgusting for them, imagine how disgusted were those people who were actually involved."

Hestia looked a little pale and said, "It was very… traumatic."

'– **and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans,' I continued, 'and the gods won.'**

Apollo whistled. "You just summarized a decade long war in one sentence."

Nico, Thalia, Hermes, Hephaestus and Artemis chuckled at this while Percy just shrugged.

 **Some snickers from the group. Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, 'Like we're going to use this in real life… "Please explain why Kronos ate his kids".'**

' **And why, Mr Jackson,' Brunner said, 'to paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?'**

"Busted." Said Apollo as he chuckled. Hermes looked at the book again and laughed at Apollo.

' **Busted,' Grover muttered.**

Apollo smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

' **Shut up,' Nancy hissed, her face even brighter red than her hair.**

 **At least Nancy got in trouble, too… I thought about his question, and shrugged. 'I don't know, sir.'**

' **I see.' Mr Brunner looked disappointed. 'Well, half credit, Mr Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine... The gods defeated their father… On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs Dodds, would you lead us back outside?'**

 **The class drifted off… acting like doofuses.**

"Boys." Grumbled Artemis.

 **Grover and I were about to follow when Mr Brunner said, 'Mr Jackson.' I knew that was coming. I told Grover to keep going... 'Sir?'**

 **Mr Brunner had this look… had seen everything. 'You must learn the answer to my question,' Mr Brunner told me.**

' **About the Titans?' … 'About real life. And how your studies apply to it.' … 'Oh.'**

' **What you learn from me,' he said, 'is vitally important... I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson.' I wanted to get angry… I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr Brunner took one long sad look... He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.**

 **The class gathered on the front steps of the museum… Overhead, a huge storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city... We'd had massive snow storms, flooding, wildfires from lightning strikes…**

"What are you two fighting about now?" Asked Hera.

Zeus and Poseidon looked at each other and just shrugged having no idea as to what they were fighting about in the future.

 **Nobody else seemed to notice... Nancy Bobofit was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's bag, and, of course, Mrs Dodds wasn't seeing a thing.**

"Hermes, are you sure she isn't one of yours?" Asked mockingly by Artemis.

Hermes frowned, "Of course not. I would know if she was. I know all the names of my children."

Everyone in the room were astonished at what Hermes said while Percy smiled at this and thought, _'Well, he is actually one of the better Olympian parents so it's not surprising that he knows all of his children. I guess he was really just busy that he couldn't claim Chris before.'_ His smile turned into a sad smile as he thought, _'I wish Luke could see this side of his father. Maybe if he did, he wouldn't have been tempted by Kronos.'_

Percy who was not paying attention didn't notice that everyone in the room was now looking at him. Some were worried, some were curious and two who noticed who he was looking at looked at him with understanding and comfort. Percy was pulled out of his thoughts when Poseidon asked, "Son, are you alright?"

Percy jumped and now he noticed the looks that everyone gave him. He chuckled nervously, "I'm fine, dad. I'm just thinking about something. Let's continue reading."

Hermes, who saw the sad smile that Percy gave him while he was distracted by his own thoughts, wanted to ask more questions but decided to let it go. _'Maybe I'll find out why he looked at me like that in the books.'_

 **Grover and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others… 'Detention?' Grover asked. 'Nah,' I said. 'Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean – I'm not a genius.' Grover didn't say anything for a while… 'Can I have your apple?'**

Thalia and Nico grunted, "Grover."

 **I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it… and thought about my mom's apartment… I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me.**

The goddesses except Artemis and Athena cooed at Percy as the boy just blushed. Apollo and Hermes snickered at this while Ares just grunted, "Mama's boy."

Poseidon and Hera glared at Ares for that.

 **Mr Brunner parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp… A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized café table.**

Hephaestus hummed and took out a notebook and wrote something on it before hiding it again.

 **I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Nancy Bobofit… dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap. 'Oops.' She grinned at me with her crooked teeth…**

Aphrodite's nose scrunched up in disgust while Thalia growled and mumbled something about finding this girl and teaching her a lesson. This made Percy chuckle and told Thalia to calm down.

 **I tried to stay cool. The school counsellor had told me a million times, 'Count to ten, get control of your temper.' But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears… 'Percy pushed me!'**

Thalia, Nico, Hermes and Apollo smirked evilly at this while Percy was nervous because he saw the seething look of outrage on Artemis' face. "I may not approve of this girl's attitude but you must never raise a hand on a girl, boy."

Percy squeaked and hid behind Thalia while Apollo tried to reason with his twin. "Chill little sis, I am almost a hundred percent sure that Percy didn't even intentionally do that."

Artemis huffed and just said, "Don't call me little sis, Apollo. I'm older than you."

 **Mrs Dodds materialized next to us. Some of the kids were whispering: 'Did you see –' '– the water –' '– like it grabbed her –'**

 **I didn't know what they were talking about... As soon as Mrs Dodds was sure poor little Nancy was okay… 'Now, honey –'**

' **I know,' I grumbled. 'A month erasing textbooks.'**

"No! You shouldn't guess your punishment!" Yelled Hermes.

Everyone just stared at him so he just sighed and continued reading.

 **That wasn't the right thing to say. 'Come with me,' Mrs Dodds said.**

' **Wait!' Grover yelped. 'It was me...' I stared at him, stunned… Mrs Dodds scared Grover to death. She glared at him so hard his whiskery chin trembled… Grover looked at me desperately. 'It's okay, man,' I told him. 'Thanks for trying.' 'Honey,' Mrs Dodds barked at me. 'Now.'**

"No! Don't follow her, Perce!" Everyone jumped at the sudden shout of the son of Hades who looked so horror-stricken.

Everyone except Percy was now curious as to why Nico reacted the way he did. _'Is she a monster?' Thought everyone except Percy and Nico._

Percy sighed, "You do know that you're talking to a book?" Nico just looked at him in pity and with that Hermes continued.

 **Nancy Bobofit smirked. I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare... How'd she get there so fast? ... I wasn't so sure. I went after Mrs Dodds.**

Nico whimpered and grabbed Percy's sleeve.

 **Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Grover... Okay, I thought. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Nancy at the gift shop.**

"That would be a reasonable punishment, don't you think?" Said Hera.

 **But apparently that wasn't the plan.**

"Oh." Hera just looked away as she blushed.

 **I followed her deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up to her… Mrs Dodds stood... She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling.**

"Wait. Growling?!" Poseidon was now thinking that something bad was about to happen to his son which explains his nephew's reaction.

 **Even without the noise, I would've been nervous. It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs Dodds. Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it…**

' **You've been giving us problems, honey,' she said. I did the safe thing. I said, 'Yes, ma'am.'**

Thalia laughed and said, "Kelp head? When do you do the safe thing?" She was expecting an irritated retort from Percy or a mocking statement to support hers from Nico but she heard nothing. She only received a scolding look from Nico and Percy just stared down at his clasped hands and he looked nervous. Thalia frowned at this. _'Something is wrong.'_

 **She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. 'Did you really think you would get away with it?'**

 **The look… was evil. She's a teacher… not like she's going to hurt me. I said, 'I'll – I'll try harder, ma'am.' ... 'We are not fools, Percy Jackson,' Mrs Dodds said. 'It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess...'**

Thalia's eyes widened and looked at Percy worriedly. _'She's a monster! Percy's first monster and he isn't even armed.'_

Hades' eyes widened in recognition and cautiously peeked at Poseidon. _'He's going to be so mad.'_

 **I didn't know what she was talking about… illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room.**

"Percy, I'm proud to call you my cousin!" Said Hermes but this was met with silence from the demigods. This now earned curious and worried glances from the gods and goddesses.

 **Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay... Or worse, they were going to make me read the book.**

Athena looked appalled to hear this but decided to not comment because of the tensed atmosphere around the demigods and some of the Olympians so she just huffed to herself and crossed her arms.

' **Well?' she demanded. 'Ma'am, I don't…'**

' **Your time is up,' she hissed. Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow… she was about to slice me to ribbons.**

Silence filled the room. Thalia stared in horror at Percy realizing who Mrs. Dodds was. Percy didn't look up and continued to stare down at his hands. She looked at Nico and Nico understanding her silent question nodded at her and this confirmed her suspicions.

The silence ended when Apollo asked as he chuckled nervously, "Is it just me or that sounds like a Fury?"

No one noticed but because Thalia and Nico were sitting on the same couch as Percy they noticed that Percy was trembling. Both cousins each held one hand of Percy as Nico angrily said, "It is a Fury specifically saying that's Alecto."

Silence ensued but this one didn't last long as Poseidon let out a battle cry and lunged at his brother. "HADES! You sent a fury after my son! He's twelve!" Hades didn't retaliate but still tried to get Poseidon off him.

Zeus and Apollo hastily stood up and tried to pull Poseidon off Hades who looked contemplative. Ares was thrilled to see and hear about a fight and was on the edge of his seat amused. Hera and Hestia looked worried, Athena looked deep in thought, Demeter looked worriedly at the demigods who were ignoring everything around them and Artemis just scoffed, "They're like kids." Aphrodite looked worriedly at the fight and was asking Ares to help stop the fight but he ignored her. She then turned to her husband, Hephaestus, who just sighed and stood up to help his father and half-brother. Hermes wanted to help but he didn't want to leave the demigods who might accidentally get hurt because they looked like they are in their own world. Dionysus just looked at the fight and continued ignoring them all as he drank his diet coke.

Zeus, Apollo and Hephaestus finally pulled Poseidon back who was still angry when Percy spoke, "Dad! Enough. This is already in the past. Well, at least for us it is so let this go. I'm fine and I understand why Uncle Hades sent her after me. Let's just continue reading please."

Poseidon looked at his son who was still not looking up and gave Hades one last glare then returned to his throne. He then signaled Hermes to read while everyone settled back on their thrones.

' _I wonder why I sent Alecto after him. Poseidon never tried to hurt Bianca or Nico so I know that I wouldn't attack his son even though he broke the oath. There must be a different reason.' Hades thought this as he looked curiously at his nephew._

Hermes coughed and started reading again.

 **Then things got even stranger. Mr Brunner… holding a pen in his hand. 'What ho, Percy!' he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air. Mrs Dodds lunged at me.**

 **With a yelp, I dodged… it wasn't a pen any more. It was a sword – Mr Brunner's bronze sword... Mrs Dodds spun towards me… I almost dropped the sword.**

Ares mockingly said, "Wimp." This earned him glares from Poseidon, Thalia and Nico.

 **She snarled, 'Die, honey!' ... I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.**

Ares looked surprised but nodded in approval. _'That punk has good battle reflexes.'_

 **The metal blade hit her... Hisss! Mrs Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded… two glowing red eyes were still watching me. I was alone. There was a ballpoint pen in my hand... Nobody was there but me... My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.**

Everyone chuckled at this. Percy even then knew how to disperse the tension in the air.

Thalia and Nico sensing that Percy was calming down smiled at each other. "Magic mushrooms? Seriously, Kelp head?" Nico chuckled at this and caught a small smile from Percy and they finally relaxed.

 **Had I imagined the whole thing?**

"Unfortunately, no I didn't."

 **I went back outside. It had started to rain. Grover was sitting by the fountain… 'I hope Mrs Kerr whipped your butt.'**

"Who?" Apollo and Poseidon simultaneously said. Hermes smirked as he read on.

 **I said, 'Who?' 'Our teacher. Duh!'**

 **I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs Kerr... She just rolled her eyes and turned away.**

"The Mist is working its magic." Stated Athena.

 **I asked Grover where Mrs Dodds was. He said, 'Who?' But he paused first… so I thought he was messing with me.**

Dionysus snorted and said, "Satyrs are really bad liars."

' **Not funny, man,' I told him. 'This is serious.' Thunder boomed overhead.**

"It must be serious if Zeus is mad." Said Aphrodite.

 **I saw Mr Brunner sitting under his red umbrella… 'Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr Jackson.' I handed it over. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.**

' **Sir,' I said, 'where's Mrs Dodds?' He stared at me blankly. 'Who?'**

' **The other chaperone. Mrs Dodds. The maths teacher.'**

 **He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned… Are you feeling all right?'**

"And that is how you lie. Your other teacher is awesome, Percy! That's the end of the chapter. Who wants to read next?" Asked Hermes.

"I'll read. Give me the book, Hermes." Everyone turned to look who volunteered and saw that it was Hades. Everyone raised their eyebrows at this but Hermes just smiled and threw the book to Hades, "Okay, Uncle H. Catch!" Hades caught the book and started to read.

" **Chapter 2, Three Old Ladies Knit the Socks of Death…** "

* * *

A/N: Finished! How was it? Review! :)

~Lalabella


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows. It really made me happy! :)

 **Jess** : All pairings will be canon and sorry but I don't have a schedule for updates. Since I'm not busy as of the moment, I try to update every day or every other day but when I do start being busy, I might only be able to update during weekends and holidays.

Anyways! Here is chapter 3! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

Thalia laughed and said, "Seriously? How do you come up with these things?"

"Hey! I didn't write this!" Replied Percy. Nico was trying not to laugh out loud but Percy still noticed. He was about to punch Nico's arm when he remembered something that he thinks might be the event on this particular chapter. _'Holy Hades. No one knows about this except Grover and my mom, Thalia and Nico are going to freak. I should give them the heads up.'_

He was about to call out to Thalia when he noticed that he had no voice. _'Oh Styx. I can't even warn them. The fates must be monitoring this if they knew what I was about to do. Death by angry cousins isn't the way I want to go.'_

 **I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually they were over quickly… Every so often I would spring a Mrs Dodds reference on somebody… but they would stare at me like I was psycho.**

"You are a psycho." Stated Thalia.

"I'm not! My mother had me tested!"

Thalia raised her eyebrow at Percy's protest and the gods laughed at this.

 **It got so I almost believed them – Mrs Dodds had never existed. Almost.**

"Let me guess, Grover?" Asked Nico. Percy just smiled and nodded at him.

 **But Grover couldn't fool me… I knew he was lying.**

"He's such a bad liar. Percy, tell the future me to teach Grover how to lie." Said Hermes. This earned him a punch on his arm courtesy of Artemis.

 **Something was going on… at night, visions of Mrs Dodds with talons and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.**

"You're such a baby, punk."

Nico glared at him and said, "You try fighting Alecto as a mortal. Let's see if she doesn't scare you… you… punk."

Ares was about to stand up and punch the demigod but stopped when he saw Hades glaring at him.

Thalia laughed, "We need to work on your insult vocabulary, Death Breath."

 **The freak weather continued, which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room.**

"Father!" Percy smiled at his cousin's protest. "What if you got the wrong room and an innocent mortal was there?" Thalia looked at her father with disbelief in her eyes.

Percy glared at Thalia as he said sarcastically, "Wow. That's what you were worried about? I feel the love, Pinecone Face."

Thalia chuckled, "Coz I know you'll be just fine, Kelp Head."

 **A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in the Hudson… the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.**

"And my realm gets more crowded. I hope when the two of you fight, you realize that you're only making my job worse than it already is." Zeus just scoffed at what Hades said while Poseidon looked at his older brother with regretful eyes and mouthed to him "Sorry."

Hades feeling a little bit happy that at least one of his brothers has the decency to apologize continued to read.

 **I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped from Ds to Fs. I got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out into the hallway in almost every class.**

"Boys and their anger management issues." Complained Artemis.

Percy was about to say something when he realized that maybe Artemis was right and the reason that he was better now was because he can take it out on the dummies at camp and the monsters. _'Maybe I should get myself checked but Thalia and Nico are like me too. Runs in the family? I'll take them with me then.'_

Artemis was surprised that Percy didn't protest. _'He's different.'_

 **Finally, when our English teacher, Mr Nicoll… I called him an old sot. I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.**

Athena gasped and looked at Percy like he was the worst person on earth. This made Percy feel bad and just looked at the floor.

Hestia seeing this tried to make Percy feel better. "It means old drunk, Percy dear."

Hermes saw what happened and added, "So in short, Dionysus."

Everyone laughed including the demigods but Dionysus just shrugged, "You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

 **The headmaster sent my mom a letter the following week... I was homesick. I wanted to be with my mom in our little apartment on the Upper East Side… with my obnoxious stepfather and his stupid poker parties.**

"Wimp." Said Ares but everyone ignored him.

Thalia looked at Percy and said, "I never knew that Paul had poker parties."

Percy looked and replied, "No, he doesn't. This one was before Paul." He said this with so much disgust in his voice that Nico and Thalia looked at him with worry. _'What did this guy do to earn so much loathing from the normally nice as an angel Percy?'_

 **And yet… there were things I'd miss at Yancy... I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend, even if he was a little strange. I worried how he'd survive next year without me.**

"You're such a good friend, Perseus." Receiving praise from Demeter, one of the goddesses that he doesn't have that much contact with, put a smile on Percy's face.

 **I'd miss Latin class, too – Mr Brunner's crazy tournament days and his faith that I could do well. As exam week got closer... I wasn't sure why, but I'd started to believe him.**

"That's good. Knowledge is power." Hummed Athena

"But he's starting to realize who he is. That's not good." Said Apollo.

 **The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across my dorm room.**

Athena looked so horrified at what Percy had done.

 **Words had started swimming off the page… Forget it.**

"Is it really that hard for demigods to study?" Asked Hestia.

Before the demigods could answer, Athena boasted, "My sons and daughters do just fine studying. The sea spawn must be exaggerating it."

All the gods and goddesses in the room glared at Athena when they saw Percy look down in shame. Athena just ignored them but was surprised to hear the usually sweet Hestia reply, "I was not asking you, Athena. I'm asking the demigods."

The three demigods in the room just nodded at this but Thalia felt that she must explain so she said, "Lady Athena, I do not mean to be disrespectful but you have no idea that your sons and daughters also have a hard time with school because of dyslexia and ADHD. The only reason that they do better than most demigods is because of the advantage of having the Goddess of Wisdom as their mother." With this Athena looked guilty but was still too proud to apologize to Percy so she just kept her mouth shut and admitted to herself that maybe she had been too harsh on the son of Poseidon.

Hestia looked sad and said, "We had no idea. I hope we can do something about it."

Then for the first time since the reading started Hephaestus said something, "I'll try to think of something that I can make to help the demigods with this problem."

The demigods smiled at him grateful at his willingness to help. Hephaestus blushed at this and muttered, "My children will benefit with this too. That's why I'm doing this."

Aphrodite looked at her husband impressed while everyone just chuckled at the shy blacksmith and Hermes said, "Don't worry kids. If there's anyone who can make something like that, it's Hephaestus."

 **I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling around inside my shirt. I remembered Mr Brunner's serious expression... I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson… I picked up the mythology book. I'd never asked a teacher for help before... I didn't want to leave Yancy Academy with him thinking I hadn't tried.**

Athena thought that she had been very judgmental on the sea spawn. _'He was really trying his best.'_

 **I walked downstairs to the faculty offices… A voice that was definitely Grover's said, '… worried about Percy, sir.' I froze. I'm not usually an eavesdropper, but I dare you to try not listening if you hear your best friend talking about you to an adult.**

"Oh really? I think I can recall an eavesdropping incident that you were involved in the future."

Everyone laughed at what Nico said and Percy being his usual self just blushed and stuck his tongue out at Nico.

"Real mature Kelp head." Everyone laughed harder at this.

 **I inched closer. '… alone this summer,' Grover was saying. 'I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too –' … 'We need the boy to mature more.' 'But he may not have time. The summer solstice deadline –' 'Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can.'**

"What's up with the summer solstice deadline?" Asked Apollo.

The demigods just shrugged and said, "Spoilers."

' **Sir, he saw her…'… 'The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that.'**

' **Sir, I… I can't fail in my duties again.' Grover's voice was choked with emotion. 'You know what that would mean.'**

"Oh Grover, it wasn't your fault. I made my choice." Percy patted Thalia's back to comfort her.

' **You haven't failed, Grover,' Mr Brunner said kindly. 'I should have seen her for what she was…' The mythology book dropped out of my hand and hit the floor with a thud.**

"Never reveal your position when eavesdropping! I must teach you my ways!" Exclaimed Hermes.

 **Mr Brunner went silent. My heart hammering, I picked up the book and backed down the hall.**

"Good. At least you didn't leave evidence that you were there." Hermes sighed.

 **A shadow slid across the lighted glass of Brunner's office door... I opened the nearest door and slipped inside. A few seconds later I heard a slow clop-clop-clop… then moved on.**

"Ah. I think I know who that is." Everyone jumped as they heard Dionysus speak. They thought he wasn't paying attention.

 **A bead of sweat trickled down my neck. Somewhere in the hallway, Mr Brunner spoke. 'Nothing,' he murmured. 'My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice.' 'Mine neither,' Grover said. 'But I could have sworn…' 'Go back to the dorm,' Mr Brunner told him. 'You've got a long day of exams tomorrow.' 'Don't remind me.'**

"What happened during the winter solstice?" Asked Artemis.

"You'll find out later in the books, Lady Artemis." Answered Thalia.

 **The lights went out in Mr Brunner's office… Finally, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way back up to the dorm. Grover was lying on his bed… 'Hey,' he said, bleary-eyed. 'You going to be ready for this test?' I didn't answer. 'You look awful.' He frowned. 'Is everything okay?' 'Just… tired.' I turned so he couldn't read my expression, and started getting ready for bed.**

"That won't work, Pedro. Satyrs can sense emotions."

Percy sighed. _'Same old Mr. D. He can never get our names right.'_

 **I didn't understand what I'd heard downstairs... They thought I was in some kind of danger.**

"They know that you are in danger." Said Hera.

 **The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam… Mr Brunner called me back inside.**

"Holy Olympus! How did you manage to stay still for three hours?" Nico and Thalia looked at Percy surprised that he was capable of sitting in an exam for that long.

The Olympians looked at them confused and Percy answered them, "ADHD, we can't stay still for long periods of time." The Olympians nodded in understanding.

 **For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about my eavesdropping… 'Percy,' he said. 'Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's… it's for the best.' His tone was kind... Nancy Bobofit smirked at me and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.**

"I'm really going to pay her a visit. You coming, Death Breath?" Nico just smirked at her and nodded.

Percy just groaned while the Olympians chuckled at them.

 **I mumbled, 'Okay, sir.'**

' **I mean…' Mr Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. 'This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time.' My eyes stung. Here was my favourite teacher… telling me I was destined to get kicked out. 'Right,' I said, trembling.**

' **No, no,' Mr Brunner said. 'Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say… you're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be –'**

' **Thanks,' I blurted. 'Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me.' 'Percy –' But I was already gone.**

"Poor Percy. He could have talked to you in private." Suggested Apollo.

 **On the last day of the term, I shoved my clothes into my suitcase. The other guys were joking around... I was a nobody, from a family of nobodies.**

The gods and goddesses looked offended at this. Percy defended himself, "I didn't know about you guys before and now I know, my family aren't nobodies."

 **They asked me what I'd be doing this summer and I told them I was going back to the city…**

' **Oh,' one of the guys said. 'That's cool.' They went back to their conversation as if I'd never existed.**

"Well, that's rude." Said Aphrodite.

 **The only person I dreaded saying goodbye to was Grover... During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle… Finally I couldn't stand it anymore. I said, 'Looking for Kindly Ones?'**

"Perseus! You could have given the poor satyr a heart attack!" Chided Demeter.

Percy looked sheepish, "Sorry."

 **Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. 'Wha – what do you mean?' I confessed about eavesdropping... Grover's eye twitched. 'How much did you hear?'**

' **Oh… not much. What's the summer-solstice deadline?'**

"Translation: I heard everything." Apollo laughed at his cousin.

 **He winced. 'Look, Percy… I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon maths teachers…' 'Grover –'**

' **And I was telling Mr Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs Dodds, and…'**

' **Grover, you're a really, really bad liar.' His ears turned pink.**

"I really need to give him lessons." Hermes pulled out a phone from his pocket and said, "Martha, remind me to give Grover, the satyr, lying lessons after this."

Martha confirmed and George asked for rats.

 **From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. 'Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer.' The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes,**

"Why is it in a fancy script?" Asked Demeter.

Dionysus answered, "Because it looks pretty."

Hestia looked at him and yelled, "But the demigods are having a hard time reading it!"

Everyone's mouth fell open as the gentle Hestia just yelled at someone. Dionysus grumbled and finally said, "Fine. I'll change it." Hestia smiled at this and the others in the room tried not to laugh at the god of wine.

 **but I finally made out something like:**

 **Grover Underwood, Keeper…**

' **What's Half –' 'Don't say it aloud!' he yelped. 'That's my, um… summer address.'**

 **My heart sank. Grover had a summer home… 'Okay,' I said glumly. 'So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion.'**

"Not a mansion, little nephew. It's a safe haven for demigods." Said Hades.

 **He nodded. 'Or… or if you need me.' 'Why would I need you?'**

"PERCY! That was mean!" Scolded Thalia.

 **It came out harsher than I meant it too. Grover blushed right down to his Adam's apple. 'Look, Percy, the truth is, I – I kind of have to protect you.'**

 **I stared at him. All year long, I'd gotten in fights keeping bullies away from him. I'd lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year without me… 'Grover,' I said, 'what exactly are you protecting me from?'**

Nico rolled his eyes, "Oh nothing bad just some of the most bloodthirsty monsters who want to kill you."

Percy sighed, "If you had been listening, I wasn't aware that gods exist let alone monsters who wanted me dead."

 **There was a huge grinding noise under our feet… The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.**

Aphrodite seemed like she was going to be sick while Hephaestus awkwardly patted her back to provide some comfort.

… **the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover and I filed outside with everybody else. We were on a stretch of country road... On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand.**

"Fruits! They're good for you demigods just like cereals."

The immortals just groaned at Demeter.

 **The stuff on sale looked really good... There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting the biggest pair of socks I'd ever seen. I mean these socks were the size of sweaters, but they were clearly socks.**

"I think those would fit Tyson."

The Olympians looked at Percy curious on who this Tyson was while the demigods just laughed.

 **The lady on the right knitted one of them. The lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn. All three women looked ancient... The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at me.**

Everyone gasped. "Are those the Fates?" Asked Artemis.

Percy just nodded at them and tried his best not to look at his cousins who were staring at him in disbelief and horror.

 **I looked over at Grover... His nose was twitching. 'Grover?' I said. 'Hey, man –'**

' **Tell me they're not looking at you. They are. Aren't they?' 'Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?'**

"Son! That's not funny!" Reprimanded Poseidon. Even Hermes and Apollo didn't dare to laugh.

"I'm fine, dad. Don't worry, I won't die. I'm here."

' **Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all.'**

 **The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors – gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. I heard Grover catch his breath. 'We're getting on the bus,' he told me. 'Come on.'**

' **What?' I said. 'It's a thousand degrees in there.'**

' **Come on!' He prised open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.**

"GET ON THE BUS, KELP HEAD!" Thalia was now gripping Percy's left hand.

Percy sighed and just signaled Hades to continue reading.

 **Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, and I swear I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic.**

There was silence. Poseidon paled and stared at his son as if trying to make sure that he wasn't a ghost. The other gods just looked curious as to how he can still be alive. Nico whimpered and gripped Percy's right hand as if to reassure himself that Percy was still alive beside him. Thalia had the worst reaction. She started yelling at Percy.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS?! YOU STILL FOUGHT SO MUCH EVEN WITH THAT THREAD HANGING OVER YOUR HEAD?! HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO SELFISH?! I DUMPED THE PROPHECY ON YOU WHEN YOU HAD THIS TO WORRY ABOUT!"

Percy winced at the tight grip that Nico was giving his other hand but he knew why he was doing that so he just gripped Nico's hand to comfort him. Percy now faced Thalia, "Thals, calm down. This is al-" He was cut off because Thalia started screaming at him again.

"Calm down? DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CALM DOWN WHEN I JUST DISCOVERED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DIE?!" Percy was about say something but no voice came out. He groaned at this and then Thalia let go of Percy's hand and started pacing in front of her cousins. "I need to do something. I have to tell Annabeth when we go back and make a plan. We can just hide you somewhere, like camp or send you to your dad at Atlantis. You'd probably the safest there but the law-"

Thalia was stopped when Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her to sit back down on the couch and hugged her. Artemis glared at him for this but didn't say anything. "Thals, calm down. Listen to me. I'm fine. I'm alive. I can't tell you how but I won't die. Trust me, I'm telling you the truth."

Thalia calmed down and blinked back her tears and hugged him back. Percy now let go of Nico's hand to pull him in a group hug. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. I just started bonding with my adorable cousins so I wouldn't leave you guys so soon." This got him revolted grunts from his cousins and they pushed off him.

Nico scoffed, "Don't ever call me adorable, Aqua Dude." Percy chuckled.

"Don't die on us, Kelp Head. If you do, I'm going to the underworld and personally torture you there."

Percy decided not to protest on Thalia's threat and instead laughed at her and said, "Well, now that's over. Let's resume reading."

"Are you sure you're okay, nephew?" Asked Hestia with worry in her voice. Poseidon looked like he was about to break down.

Percy just nodded and smiled at the gods and so Hades started reading again.

 **Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks, leaving me wondering who they could possibly be for – Sasquatch or Godzilla.**

This dispersed the depressing atmosphere in the throne room as everyone laughed. "Your head is full of kelp."

 **At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life… 'Darn right!' yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. 'Everybody back on board!'**

"Now it starts. Stupid bus." Grumbled Poseidon

 **Once we got going. I started feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.**

Nico who was still holding Percy's hand suddenly felt his cousin's temperature go up but when he was about to comment on it, his body temperature was back to normal. Nico tilted his head and looked at Percy, _'Was it just my imagination?'_

 **Grover didn't look much better. He was shivering and his teeth were chattering.**

' **Grover?' 'Yeah?' 'What are you not telling me?'**

 **He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. 'Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?'**

' **You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like… Mrs Dodds, are they?'**

"I wish they were then it would be less terrifying." Mumbled Hephaestus.

 **His expression was hard to read, but I got the feeling that the fruit-stand ladies were something much, much worse than Mrs Dodds.**

"Definitely worse." Everyone in the room agreed with Poseidon.

 **He said, 'Just tell me what you saw.' 'The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn.'**

 **He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost – older. He said, 'You saw her snip the cord.'**

' **Yeah. So?' But even as I said it, I knew it was a big deal.**

"He isn't as oblivious as he appears to be." Observed Athena.

"I think I was just in denial at that time." Added Percy.

"Or he's just plain ignorant of the mythological world." Suggested Artemis.

' **This is not happening,' Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. 'I don't want this to be like the last time.' 'What last time?' 'Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth.'**

"Oh Goat Boy. He's still blaming himself. It wasn't his fault." Thalia looked sad.

Zeus scoffed. He still blamed the satyr for what happened to Thalia.

' **Grover,' I said, because he was really starting to scare me. 'What are you talking about?'**

' **Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me.' This seemed like a strange request to me, but I promised he could. 'Is this like a superstition or something?' I asked.**

 **No answer.**

' **Grover – that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?' He looked at me mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.**

"That really creeped me out. It was like he was saying I'm a dead man already." Percy sighed as Hades closed the book and said, "Don't worry, nephew. If you die, I'll give you a welcome party in the underworld."

Everyone in the room except Percy gave him a look of disbelief but Percy just laughed and said, "I'll be looking forward to that when the time comes, Uncle Hades."

Nico and Thalia just sighed. "You're insane, Perce." Said Nico.

Thalia agreed and added, "I don't even know why we even worry for you."

"So who will read next?" Asked Hades.

"I'll read, brother." Hades then stood up and gave the book to Hera.

" **Chapter 3, Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants…** "

* * *

A/N: Review! :)

~Lalabella


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows! Here is chapter 4! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

Thalia groaned, "Holy Zeus. That's how you found out too?" Percy sighed and nodded at her. "It freaked me out but unfortunately I didn't have the time to freak out."

"I guess you had it worse. At least we already knew that gods exist that time so it didn't surprise us that much." Nico looked at his two cousins confused. "What are two talking about?"

Percy and Thalia looked at each other and then nodded. Percy then whispered to Nico, "How we found out that Grover is a satyr." Nico said, "Oh."

The Olympians looked at the three with curious looks but Hera coughed to get their attention and started to read.

 **Confession time: I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.**

"PERCY!" Chided most of the gods and goddesses. Percy just smiled sheepishly at them.

 **I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking me out… 'Why does it always have to be sixth grade?'**

"Well, I would have run too. That was just creepy." Everyone looked at Thalia but she just shrugged at them.

 **Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up… slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown. 'East One Hundred and Fourth and First Avenue,' I told the driver.**

"HA! We know where you live!" Shouted gleefully by Apollo.

Hermes hummed and said, "Let's pay him a visit."

Artemis smacked their heads as she disagreed. "No, you won't!"

Everyone laughed at the two as they rubbed the back of their heads. Artemis hits hard.

 **A word about my mother, before you meet her.**

"Wonderful!" Thalia grinned.

"Awesome!" Nico smiled.

 **Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five,**

The three demigods glared at Zeus who just turned away from them.

 **and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist…**

Athena nodded in approval.

 **Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school... The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad.**

Aphrodite squealed in delight while Artemis and Athena rolled their eyes at her. Poseidon smiled and saw Percy wink at him with a grin and gave him a thumbs-up.

 **I don't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures. See, they weren't married… Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea.**

"It's not the truth but not exactly a lie either. I like her, Uncle P!" Said Hermes.

 **She worked odd jobs, took night classes… I knew I wasn't an easy kid.**

"At least you know." Teased Nico while everyone laughed.

 **Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colours as a world-class jerk… mouldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.**

Aphrodite looked like she was going to empty her stomach in disgust. Hephaestus produced a bowl and handed it to his wife.

"I don't think you meant it literally right?" Percy scrunched up his nose in disgust and that just answered Hera's question.

 **Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along… well, when I came home is a good example... Crisps and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.**

"Boys are such pigs." Artemis grumbled to herself.

 **Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, 'So, you're home.' 'Where's my mom?' 'Working,' he said. 'You got any cash?'**

"What?! He didn't even welcome you back or asked how you were?" Asked Poseidon.

Hera looked back on the book and let out a little laugh at her brother. Everyone but Percy, who was grinning, looked at her confused.

 **That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?**

Everyone laughed, "Like father, like son." Teased Zeus. Everyone but the three demigods and Hestia expected Poseidon to protest but instead he just smiled proudly at his son which surprised them.

 **Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus...**

Aphrodite went back to looking green. "I don't think even my makeovers could help him."

Everyone burst out laughing after hearing this.

 **He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens… He called that our 'guy secret'. Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out.**

The light and happy atmosphere suddenly turned cold. All the Olympians except Zeus and Ares had dark looks in their faces. Percy's two cousins were no different from them while Percy just flinched as he had a flash of memory about Gabe. The silence was broken when Poseidon asked in a voice that was clearly holding back anger, "Did he hit you?"

Percy stayed silent hoping that everyone would just let it go but his father asked again, "Perseus, answer me. Did he hit you?"

Percy sighed and mumbled a quiet, "Yes." But with the silence in the room, his voice seemed to echo.

Suddenly Poseidon stood up holding his trident and was about to walk to the door of the throne room when Hestia stopped him. "Brother, where are you going?"

Poseidon looked back at her and said, "I'm going to pay this Gabe person a visit. Nobody hurts my son and gets away with it."

"Sit down, brother. You know the law. We cannot interfere with our children's lives." Reminded Zeus.

"Husband, I think everyone in this room agrees that we can make an exemption for this particular monster, I mean, situation." Everyone was shocked that Hera was condoning this while Hephaestus just scoffed and thought, _'You're one to talk, Mother. You threw me off Mt. Olympus.'_ He badly wanted to say that but kept his mouth shut because he actually wanted this mortal to be taught a lesson too.

Zeus shook his head and said, "No. Sit down, Poseidon." Poseidon glared at Zeus and sat back down.

"Don't worry, Uncle Poseidon. If gods can't interfere, we surely can." Thalia's voice was downright sinister.

"Yeah. We can go down there right now. I can shadow travel with, Thalia." Nico agreed.

Zeus was about to stop the two when Percy spoke up, "Hey. Calm down you two. I'm fine. This is already in the past. And when I reached seven, I started to cotton on."

"I'm a little bit upset with you too, Kelp Head. Why didn't I hear about this awful man until now? Even Annabeth and Grover never mentioned that name." Nico nodded in agreement with Thalia.

Percy smiled sadly at them, "I didn't want to talk about him and maybe Annabeth and Grover sensed that so they never mentioned anything about him. Don't worry about him. If what I'm thinking is correct, you'll probably know why he's out of our life at the end of this book."

His cousins gave him a skeptical look but just sighed and this made Percy smile. He then nodded at Hera as if saying that she can continue reading.

' **I don't have any cash,' I told him. He raised a greasy eyebrow… his own smell should've covered up everything else.**

Athena hummed to herself and the gears in her brain started working as theory started forming in her head.

' **You took a taxi from the bus station,' he said. 'Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change.**

"I'm surprised he got the math right." Scoffed Apollo. His cousin was starting to grow on him and he was surprised that he was actually angry that a mortal would dare raise a hand on him.

 **Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?'**

Demeter frowned at this. "Carry his own weight? The boy is twelve!"

 **Eddie, the superintendant of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy…**

"At least someone there is on your side." Hestia smiled.

' **Am I right?' Gabe repeated. Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.**

This was the final straw for Aphrodite as she emptied her stomach on the bowl. Ares shifted away from her while Hephaestus rubbed her back to soothe her. When she was done, Hephaestus gave her a handkerchief and a glass of water. Aphrodite took it and after drinking the water smiled gratefully at her husband who just blushed and averted his gaze away.

"Are you okay now, Aphrodite?" Asked Hera.

Aphrodite smiled, "I'm alright. You can continue."

' **Fine,' I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. 'I hope you lose.'**

"Oh, he will." Dionysus and Hermes grinned deviously after saying this. Everyone shuddered but no one was feeling sorry for Gabe.

' **Your report card came, brain boy!' he shouted after me. 'I wouldn't act so snooty!'**

 **I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room… the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer. I dropped my suitcase on the bed. Home sweet home… A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone – something – was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.**

"You're a wimp, punk." Poseidon glared at Ares.

 **Then I heard my mom's voice. 'Percy?' She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted.**

 **My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room… I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe.**

All the goddesses cooed at Percy while Percy just blushed. His cousins and Poseidon expressed their agreement to what was stated in the book about Sally.

 **'Oh, Percy.' She hugged me tight. 'I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!'**

 **Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world… a huge bag of 'free samples', the way she always did when I came home.**

Hermes and Apollo drooled at the mention of free samples while Artemis rubbed her forehead. _'I think I'm getting a migraine.'_

 **We sat together on the edge of the bed… I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her.**

Hera hummed in approval. "Good boy." Thalia, Nico, Hermes and Apollo sniggered at this while Ares mumbled, "Mama's boy."

 **From the other room, Gabe yelled, 'Hey, Sally – how about some bean dip, huh?'**

Everyone except Zeus and Ares gritted their teeth.

 **I gritted my teeth. My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.**

"Or a god." Suggested Aphrodite as she winked at the blushing Poseidon.

"Or Paul." Chorused the three demigods which earned curious looks from the immortals in the room.

 **For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy… Until that trip to the museum…**

' **What?' my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. 'Did something scare you?' 'No, Mom.'**

"You shouldn't lie to your mother, Perseus." Chided Hera.

 **I felt bad lying.**

"You should." Said Hera.

 **I wanted to tell her about Mrs Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid.**

"She would understand, Perce."

Percy sighed, "Nics, I already said it before. I didn't know about gods at that time. I thought I was going insane."

 **She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me. 'I have a surprise for you,' she said. 'We're going to the beach.' My eyes widened. 'Montauk?'**

Poseidon smiled at this, reminiscing the time he spent there with Sally.

' **Three nights – same cabin.' 'When?' She smiled. 'As soon as I get changed.'**

 **I couldn't believe it. My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.**

"There isn't enough money because he's using it for his gambling habits! I really hate this guy." Percy put a hand on Nico's back to pacify him.

 **Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, 'Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?'**

"Make it yourself! She's not your maid!" Yelled Artemis. Everyone looked at her but no one dared to comment. Nobody wanted to be turned into a jackalope.

 **I wanted to punch him… Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here. 'I was on my way, honey,' she told Gabe. 'We were just talking about the trip.'**

 **Gabe's eyes got small. 'The trip? You mean you were serious about that?'**

' **I knew it,' I muttered. 'He won't let us go.'**

"Oh, he'd better let you go or else." Poseidon's threat hung in the air.

' **Of course he will,' my mom said evenly. 'Your stepfather is just worried about money. That's all... Guacamole. Sour cream. The works.'**

"Bribery! That's good! Your mom is awesome, cousin!" Hermes looked gleefully at Percy.

 **Gabe softened a bit. 'So this money for your trip… it comes out of your clothes budget, right?'**

Everyone groaned and covered their ears as a piercing shriek was heard in Mt. Olympus. "CLOTHES BUDGET?! I am going to curse this man right now!"

Hephaestus whispered something to his wife and to everyone's surprise Aphrodite calmed down and smiled.

' **Yes, honey,' my mother said. 'And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back.'**

' **We'll be very careful.' Gabe scratched his double chin. 'Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip… And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game.'**

"Interrupting? HE FUNDED IT!" Screamed Thalia. Sparks were starting to form on her fingertips. Percy wanted to feel sorry for Gabe but he can't find it in him to do so after everything he did to him and his mother.

 **Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.**

"DO IT!" Goaded everyone in the room including an excited looking Ares.

 **But my mom's eyes warned me not to make him mad. Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought? 'I'm sorry,' I muttered. 'I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now.'**

Ares looked so disappointed that another prospect of a fight was thwarted.

 **Gabe's eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement.**

' **Yeah, whatever,' he decided. He went back to his game.**

' **Thank you, Percy,' my mom said. 'Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about… whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?' For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes… as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.**

Hera hummed. "She knows you're not telling her something. Mother's instinct."

 **But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken... An hour later we were ready to leave. Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags… 'Not a scratch on this car, brain boy,' he warned me as I loaded the last bag. 'Not one little scratch.'**

"Like he's the one who's going to be driving, he's twelve." Snorted Nico.

 **Like I'd be the one driving. I was twelve.**

Nico and Percy high-fived and laughed while Thalia mumbled, "Idiotic cousins."

 **But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame me.**

 **Watching him lumber back towards the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain… The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying...**

Everyone looked at Percy with wide eyes. He noticed it and asked, "What?"

"You shouldn't be able to do that, Peter. That's satyr magic."

Percy looked confused. He didn't know what to say. Thalia noticing this decided to save her cousin. "Well, Percy usually surprises everyone by doing something that he shouldn't be able to do so if you think about it, it's not that surprising."

It was clear that Thalia was telling the gods to drop it and they decided to let it go but they all thought, _'He is one powerful demigod maybe the most powerful to walk on earth since ancient times.'_

Percy was still confused but Nico and Thalia knew that the gods were sizing up their cousin. They always knew that he was too powerful even for a child of the big three that it was scary to think what would happen if he suddenly turned to the enemy side but they also knew that fear of him will just be misplaced because they knew that Percy was loyal to them because they are family. They just hope that Zeus wouldn't be so paranoid as to try and dispose their cousin by killing him.

 **Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out. I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it. Our rental cabin was on the south shore… most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.**

"I would think that shouldn't be an issue to you, Kelp Head." Percy just grinned and nodded at Hera.

 **I loved the place.**

"Oh."

 **We'd been going there since I was a baby... It was the place where she'd met my dad.**

Aphrodite squealed.

 **As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the colour of the sea. We got there at sunset… We walked on the beach... I guess I should explain the blue food.**

"Yes, please!" Said Apollo.

 **See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing… She did have a rebellious streak, like me.**

"You have more than a streak, Perce."

Thalia added to what Nico said, "What you have is an obedience streak, Kelp Head." Percy pouted at this while his cousins laughed at him.

 **When it got dark, we made a fire… She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.**

"I am going to give my blessing to her so that her books would be successful in the future."

Percy smiled at Athena, "Thank you, Lady Athena. Mom would love that."

 **Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk – my father… 'He was kind, Percy,' she said. 'Tall, handsome and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes.'**

Everyone looked at him. Hestia smiled, "You do look like him when he was younger. I bet when you get older, you'd look like an exact replica of your father."

Both father and son looked at each other and smiled proudly at this.

 **... 'I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud.' I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.**

"That doesn't matter, Percy. I will always be proud of you, son." Percy blushed while his cousins smiled teasingly at him.

' **How old was I?' I asked. 'I mean… when he left?' She watched the flames. 'He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin.' 'But… he knew me as a baby.'**

' **No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born.'**

Poseidon looked regretful and mumbled, "Stupid Zeus. Stupid laws."

 **I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember… something about my father. A warm glow. A smile. I had always assumed he knew me as a baby.**

"I visited when you were a baby. A few days after you were born, I had to make sure that you were born safely so I went to your apartment while your mom was sleeping."

Zeus face scrunched up and he said in his booming voice, "POSEIDON! You know that we cannot have direct contact with our mortal offspring!"

Poseidon was about to retort but Hades spoke first, "Oh, cool it, Zeus. He just visited once and Percy was a newborn. I'm pretty sure most of us here had bent the rules multiple times already when their kids were still a baby or too young to comprehend that they were their parent."

Thalia decided to help her uncles by saying, "I do remember seeing you when I was a child, father."

Hera glared at Zeus and Zeus not wanting to make his predicament worse just grunted and crossed his arms. Everyone in the room snickered and Hera continued.

 **My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me…**

"Oh, um, I'm sorry about this, dad. I understand now and I don't feel this way anymore."

 **I felt angry at my father… now we were stuck with Smelly Gabe.**

' **Are you going to send me away again?' I asked her… She pulled a marshmallow from the fire. 'I don't know, honey.' Her voice was heavy. 'I think… I think we'll have to do something.'**

' **Because you don't want me around?' I regretted the words as soon as they were out.**

Percy was suddenly hit at the back of his head. "Ow. That hurt, Thals!" Thalia just sneered at him and he threw up his hands in the air. "I said, I regretted it."

 **My mom's eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. 'Oh, Percy, no. I – I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away.' Her words reminded me of what Mr Brunner had said – that it was best for me to leave Yancy.**

' **Because I'm not normal,' I said. 'You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy...' 'Safe from what?'**

 **She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to...**

 **During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground… the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.**

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Did you send that cyclops?"

Poseidon looked confused, "No, I didn't."

 **Before that – a really early memory. I was in pre school… scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.**

"Just like Hercules!" Boasted Zeus.

Percy and Thalia scowled at this. "Percy is so much better than Jerkules. Even Zoe thinks that. Please don't compare him to my cousin." Zeus frowned at his daughter but Percy smiled at her. "Thanks, Thals." Thalia shrugged. "I know you hate him as much as I do."

Artemis stared at Thalia and Percy. _'Did she say Zoe? Zoe Nightshade? So not only does my future lieutenant approve of this boy, even my current lieutenant approves. What is so different about this hero?'_

 **In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move. I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs Dodds… feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that.**

"I was being selfish and that only endangered her." Percy looked down.

"Wanting to spend your time with your mother isn't being selfish, Perseus. It just shows how much you treasure her." Said Demeter.

' **I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could,' my mom said… 'My father wanted me to go to a special school?' 'Not a school,' she said softly. 'A summer camp.'**

 **My head was spinning… 'I'm sorry, Percy,' she said, seeing the look in my eyes. '…It might mean saying goodbye to you for good.'**

' **For good? But if it's only a summer camp…' She turned towards the fire… she would start to cry.**

Dionysus snorted and mumbled to himself. "That's how they usually get killed."

 **That night I had a vivid dream.**

Thalia and Nico groaned. "What's wrong? Dreams are good." Asked Apollo.

Thalia answered, "Percy has the worst demigod dreams even for a child of the big three." Nico nodded at this.

 **It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals... The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle's wings.**

Thalia and Percy frowned. "Our dads."

 **As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.**

"Hades!" Accused Zeus.

"That's not me!" Defended Hades then suddenly thought about how this isn't currently happpening and added, "At least I think it's not me. I don't know. This is in the future."

 **I ran towards them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other… I screamed, No!**

 **I woke with a start.**

"Ha! I won!" Poseidon just ignored Zeus.

 **Outside, it really was storming... With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, 'Hurricane.' I knew that was crazy. Long Island never saw hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten.**

"How dare you forget, Uncle P?" Said mockingly by Hermes.

 **Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.**

"What is it this time?" Poseidon groaned in distress.

 **Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice – someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door. My mother sprang out of bed… Grover stood framed in the doorway... But he wasn't… he wasn't exactly Grover. 'Searching all night,' he gasped. 'What were you thinking?'**

 **My mother looked at me in terror... 'Percy,' she said, shouting to be heard over the rain… 'What didn't you tell me?' I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn't understand what I was seeing.**

' **O Zeu kai alloi theoi!' he yelled. 'It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?'**

 **I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly… where his legs should be…**

"What? What?" Inquired a giddy Apollo.

 **My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before… 'Percy. Tell me now!'**

 **I stammered… her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning. She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, 'Get to the car. Both of you. Go!' Grover ran for the Camaro... He was trotting... I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked. Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.**

Apollo looked disappointed. "Oh. It wasn't as exciting as I thought it was. What a let down." Hermes clapped Apollo's back to comfort him.

"Can I have the book, sister? I think it's my turn to read." Hera smiled at Demeter and gave her the book.

" **Chapter 4, My Mother Teaches Me Bullfighting…** "

* * *

A/N: Review! :)

~Lalabella


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Reading them was a great way to start my day. Here is chapter 5! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

"I never knew that Sally knows bullfighting." Wondered Poseidon.

"That's because she doesn't." Murmured Percy.

"Bullfighting? Holy Olympus! Sorry, Perce. I know this was bad like really bad but I've always wanted to know the full story with exact details on this particular atta- uh… event." Nico was trembling with excitement like a child who was promised a new happy meal.

Thalia was excited to hear about this too but she hid it behind a smirk. "Me too! Nobody witnessed it so no one could tell me what happened and whenever we ask you, you just say you defeated it. That's it. No details whatsoever."

Percy grunted and mumbled, "Because I didn't want to remember this."

The gods and goddesses and glanced at each other having no idea as to what the demigods were talking about.

 **We tore through the night along dark country roads… but she kept her foot on the gas.**

"The only way to drive!" Ares laughed.

Hephaestus snorted, "So that's why your chariot is always in my forge." Ares sneered at him and the blacksmith glared.

 **Every time there was a flash of lightning, I looked at Grover sitting next to me in the backseat and I wondered if I'd gone insane… All I could think to say was, 'So, you and my mum… know each other?'**

 **Grover's eyes flitted to the rearview mirror… 'I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you.'**

"Great way to tell him that you're a stalker, Goat Boy."

Percy nodded in agreement with Thalia, "It's really weird finding out that your friend was your stalker too. It gave me goosebumps."

' **Watching me?' 'Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend,' he added hastily. 'I am your friend.'**

"Did you actually doubt that he was your friend?" Asked Nico.

Percy shook his head. "Nah. At that moment, I was more concerned about what he was than if he was faking being my friend."

' **Um… what are you, exactly?' 'That doesn't matter right now.' 'It doesn't matter? From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey –'**

Dionysus snorted, "Be grateful that the satyr didn't trample you with that comment, Pierre."

 **Grover let out a sharp, throaty 'Blaa-ha-ha!' I'd heard him make that sound before… it was more of an irritated bleat. 'Goat!' he cried… 'I'm a goat from the waist down.'**

"He just said that it didn't matter." Whined Apollo.

' **You just said it didn't matter.'**

Apollo turned red. The demigods, Hermes, Poseidon, Hades and Hephaestus laughed at the sun god while Artemis suppressed a giggle.

' **Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you under hoof for such an insult!'**

"See. I told you, Perry."

' **Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like… Mr Brunner's myths?' … 'So you admit there was a Mrs Dodds!'**

"Let it go, Kelp Head!"

' **Of course.' … 'The less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract,' Grover said, like that should be perfectly obvious. 'We put Mist over the humans' eyes… no good. You started to realize who you are.'**

… ' **Percy,' my mom said, 'there's too much to explain… We have to get you to safety.' 'Safety from what? Who's after me?' 'Oh, nobody much,' Grover said... 'Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions.'**

"HADES!" Yelled Poseidon.

"Dad! It's fine. Uncle Hades only did that because he thought I did something that I didn't really do."

' **Grover!' 'Sorry, Mrs Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?'**

 **I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening... My mom made a hard left… racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills and PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES... 'Where are we going?' I asked.**

"CAMP HALF BLOOD!" Yelled an abnormally giddy Nico.

Percy and Thalia stared suspiciously at their cousin. Percy asked, "Who gave him sweets?"

Nobody answered but in the corner of her eyes, Thalia saw Hermes carefully trying to hide something. She rounded back on him and saw packet of gummy bears on his hands.

"Lord Hermes! Why did you do this?! Now we have to deal with a sugar high, hyperactive son of Hades." Thalia groaned and Percy just shook his head and said, "We better hold onto him, Thals. He might suddenly shadow travel to China."

Hades looked worriedly at his son while the others chuckled at the demigods.

' **The summer camp I told you about.' My mother's voice was tight... 'The place your father wanted to send you.' 'The place you didn't want me to go.'**

' **Please, dear,' my mother begged. '... You're in danger.' 'Because some old ladies cut yarn.'**

"Those were the Fates, Kelp Head."

' **Those weren't old ladies,' Grover said. 'Those were the Fates… when someone's about to die.'**

Thalia grunted, "Great. Now, I sound like Goat Boy."

' **Whoa. You said "you".' 'No I didn't. I said "someone".' 'You meant "you". As in me.' 'I meant you, like "someone". Not you, you.'**

"Am I the only one confused?" Asked Apollo.

"You're the only idiot here so yeah you're on your own. Now stop interrupting." Sneered Athena.

Apollo looked hurt and lowered his head. Artemis noticed this and sent Athena a glare. _'No one makes fun of my little brother but me.'_

' **Boys!' my mom said. She pulled the wheel hard to the right, and I got a glimpse of a figure she'd swerved to avoid… 'What was that?' I asked.**

' **We're almost there,' my mother said, ignoring my question. 'Another mile. Please. Please. Please.'**

 **I didn't know where there was, but I found myself leaning forward… I thought about Mrs Dodds… She really hadn't been human. She'd meant to kill me.** **Then I thought about Mr Brunner… and the sword he had thrown me. Before I could ask Grover… our car exploded.**

"WHAT?!" Everyone was curious to know why the car exploded. Percy lowered his head to hide a grimace from his cousins.

 **I remember feeling weightless, like I was being crushed, fried and hosed down all at the same time.**

… ' **Ow.' 'Percy!' my mom shouted. 'I'm okay….'**

 **I tried to shake off the daze. I wasn't dead. The car hadn't really exploded... Lightning.**

"FATHER!" Chided Thalia.

"ZEUS! You tried to kill my son! How dare you?!" Poseidon was seething.

Zeus rolled his eyes. "You broke the oath."

Everyone groaned at Zeus' answer. Poseidon was about to argue back when Demeter continued reading to stop the brewing of a fight.

 **That was the only explanation. We'd been blasted right off the road. Next to me in the backseat was a big motionless lump. 'Grover!' He was slumped over, blood trickling from the side of his mouth… you're my best friend and I don't want you to die! Then he groaned, 'Food,' and I knew there was hope.**

Athena snuck a glance at the son of Poseidon. _'Such loyalty… I wonder…'_

' **Percy,' my mother said, 'we have to…' Her voice faltered.**

 **I looked back. In a flash of lightning… I saw a figure lumbering towards… It was a dark silhouette of a huge guy... He seemed to be holding a blanket over his head… I swallowed hard. 'Who is –'**

' **Percy,' my mother said, deadly serious. 'Get out of the car.' My mother threw herself against the driver's-side door. It was jammed shut in the mud. I tried mine. Stuck too...**

' **Climb out the passenger's side!' my mother told me. 'Percy – you have to run. Do you see that big tree?' 'What?'**

 **Another flash of lightning… I saw the tree she meant: a huge, White House Christmas-tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.**

"Oh! That's me. My first appearance as a tree!"

' **That's the property line,' my mom said. 'Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door.'**

' **Mom, you're coming, too.' Her face was pale... 'No!' I shouted. 'You are coming with me. Help me carry Grover.'**

' **Food!' Grover moaned, a little louder.**

"Boys." Muttered Artemis.

 **The man with the blanket on his head kept coming towards us... As he got closer… the bulky, fuzzy mass that was too big to be his head… was his head. And the points that looked like horns…**

' **He doesn't want us,' my mother told me. '… I can't cross the property line.' 'But…'**

… **I climbed across Grover and pushed the door open into the rain. 'We're going together. Come on, Mom.' 'I told you –' 'Mom! I am not leaving you. Help me with Grover.'**

"Fatal Flaw." Murmured Thalia and Nico.

 **I didn't wait for her answer. I scrambled outside, dragging Grover from the car… Together, we draped Grover's arms over our shoulders and started stumbling uphill through wet waist-high grass. Glancing back, I got my first clear look at the monster... He wore no clothes except underwear – I mean, bright white Fruit-of-the-Looms,**

"Seriously?" Asked Nico. Percy just nodded still not looking up. Nico frowned at this. _'Something isn't right.'_

 **which would've been funny except for the top half of his body. Coarse brown hair started at about his bellybutton and got thicker as it reached his shoulders… I recognized the monster, all right. He had been in one of the first stories Mr Brunner told us. But he couldn't be real.**

 **I blinked the rain out of my eyes. 'That's –' 'Pasiphae's son,' my mother said. 'I wish I'd known how badly they want to kill you.'**

"YOU SENT THE MINOTAUR TO MY TWELVE YEARS OLD SON?! WHY?!" Asked Poseidon.

Hades flinched at the tone of Poseidon's voice. It was filled with anger, disbelief and betrayal. Zeus answered for Hades, "Because you broke the oath."

Hades scowled and said, "I'm not like you, little brother. I wouldn't send a monster after the boy just because Poseidon broke the oath. And Poseidon knows about my children who are in the Lotus Casino and Hotel but he never tried to harm them, therefore I wouldn't harm his son for such petty reason. There must be different reason as to why I had monsters going after him."

Poseidon relaxed a little bit when Hades said this. But Zeus' jaw dropped open. "W-what?! But you tried to kill my daughter! Don't tell me that's not because I broke the oath!"

Hades was about to answer but Thalia decided to interrupt their argument. "Um, about that. Uncle Hades and I talked in the future about it. He already apologized and told me the real reason why he wanted me dead."

Zeus looked at her daughter perplexed at her revelation. "What is the reason, dear daughter?"

Thalia looked at Hades and he nodded at her as a permission to tell her dad.

"I was actually angry at Uncle Hades for killing me but when I knew the reason I kind of understand him and so I forgave him. He had me killed because of something you did more or less seventy years ago, father."

Everyone gasped then Thalia was about to continue but no voice came out. She frowned and then said, "Huh. Looks like I'm not allowed to reveal it yet. Maybe it's in the book that's why the Fates are preventing me from saying it.

There was silence in the throne room but Demeter coughed and said, "Can I continue reading?"

' **But a he's a min–' 'Don't say his name,' she warned. 'Names have power.'**

"I've lost count on how many times I've heard someone tell Kelp Head that exact same line. He still doesn't listen." Thalia sighed.

 **The pine tree was still way too far – a hundred metres uphill at least. I glanced behind me again. The bull-man hunched over our car, looking in the windows – or not looking, exactly. More like snuffling, nuzzling... 'Food?' Grover moaned. 'Shhh,' I told him. 'Mom, what's he doing? Doesn't he see us?'**

' **His sight and hearing are terrible,' she said. 'He goes by smell. But he'll figure out where we are soon enough.'**

"She's a smart woman. I wonder how you got her, Barnacle Beard." Mused Athena.

Poseidon smirked. "It's for me to know and for you to never find out."

 **As if on cue, the bull-man bellowed in rage. He picked up Gabe's Camaro… threw it down the road… The gas tank exploded. Not a scratch, I remembered Gabe saying.**

"Oops." Thalia and Nico smiled deviously but stopped when they noticed that Percy has been quiet for some time already.

 **Oops.**

' **Percy,' my mom said. 'When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way – directly sideways. He can't change direction very well once he's charging. Do you understand?'**

' **How do you know all this?' 'I've been worried about an attack for a long time... I was selfish, keeping you near me.'**

"And that always gets them killed." Said Dionysus. Hera, Demeter and Poseidon glared at him but he just ignored this.

' **Keeping me near you? But –' Another bellow of rage… He'd smelled us. The pine tree was only a few more metres… and Grover wasn't getting any lighter.**

"He just called the satyr fat." Apollo laughed.

 **The bull-man closed in... My mother must've been exhausted, but she shouldered Grover. 'Go, Percy! Separate! Remember what I said.'**

 **I didn't want to split up, but I had the feeling she was right – it was our only chance. I sprinted to the left, turned, and saw the creature bearing down on me… He lowered his head and charged… I held my ground, and at the last moment, I jumped to the side. The bull-man stormed past like a freight train… towards my mother, who was setting Grover down in the grass. We'd reached the crest of the hill… We'd never make it.**

"You'll make it!" Encouraged Hermes.

Artemis looked at him and said, "You do know that you're talking to a book right?" Hermes just ignored her.

 **The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground… 'Run, Percy!' she told me. 'I can't go any further. Run!'**

 **But I just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged her… His hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck as she tried to get away. He lifted her as she struggled, kicking and pummelling the air.**

"Sally!" Shouted Thalia, Nico and Poseidon.

' **Mom!' She caught my eyes, managed to choke out one last word: 'Go!'**

Hera hummed in approval. _'She is a great mother. I must give her my blessing.'_

 **Then, with an angry roar, the monster closed his fists around my mother's neck, and she dissolved before my eyes... A blinding flash, and she was simply… gone.**

Athena's eyes narrowed. "Golden light? She's not dead. You took her. Why?"

Hades shrugged, "I don't know. This hasn't happened yet for us. I don't even know why I sent monsters after my nephew."

' **No!' Anger replaced my fear. Newfound strength burned in my limbs… The bull-man bore down on Grover, who lay helpless in the grass. The monster hunched over, snuffling my best friend, as if he were about to lift Grover up and make him dissolve too. I couldn't allow that. I stripped off my red rain jacket.**

' **HEY!' I screamed, waving the jacket, running to one side of the monster. 'Hey, stupid! Ground beef!'**

"We need to improve your insult vocabulary too, Kelp Head." Thalia put a hand on Percy's back but he didn't respond. This caught Nico's attention too. As Thalia's eyes met Nico's, they thought the same thing. _'Something's wrong with him.'_

' **Raaaarrrrr!' The monster turned towards me, shaking his meaty fists.**

 **I had an idea – a stupid idea, but better than no idea at all… thinking I'd jump out of the way at the last moment. But it didn't happen like that. The bull-man charged too fast, his arms out to grab me whichever way I tried to dodge. Time slowed down. My legs tensed. I couldn't jump sideways, so I leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature's head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair and landing on his neck.**

The Olympians' mouths hung open as they stared at Demeter as if asking if that was what she really said. Demeter just nodded and continued reading.

Meanwhile with the demigods, Nico shook Percy, "Hey. Perce. Are you okay?"

Percy was silent for a moment but answered, "I'm…" A grunt was heard and then, "fine."

Thalia frowned, "You don't sound fine."

 **How did I do that? I didn't have time to figure it out. A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out.**

Suddenly a loud cry of pain caught the attention of everyone in the room.

"Kelp Head, what was that? What's happening to you?" Thalia was starting to panic.

Nico looked anxiously at Thalia, "He's hurt but I don't know how, why, where or when."

Poseidon stood up and shrunk to a normal human size and approached his son. "Are you hurt, son? Where?" Poseidon looked back to Apollo and saw that his eyes were glowing gold.

Apollo shook his head. "He doesn't have any physical injuries, Uncle P. I don't know what's wrong with him."

Suddenly, Athena gasped. "I know what's wrong with him. Remember the note? The Fates said, 'Demigods, you will feel as you have felt then.' It means he's feeling the pain that's being stated in the book."

Poseidon released a frustrated sigh, "So what can we do to help my son?"

Athena looked at the book and then Poseidon, "I'm not sure but maybe if we finish this fight or chapter the pain will be gone."

Nico agreed, "I think Lady Athena is right. A while ago when we were on the chapter when he met the Fates there was a part that said he felt feverish and I felt his body temperature rise but it was gone as soon as the next line or scene was described."

Thalia had Percy lean on her shoulder and said, "Let's continue then. The sooner this scene passes the sooner he gets better."

Demeter was waiting for Poseidon to get back to his throne but instead he produced a bean bag chair and set it near Percy's foot. "I'll stay here with my son. Continue, sister."

 **The bull-man staggered around, trying to shake me. I locked my arms around his horns to keep from being thrown... The monster shook himself around and bucked like a rodeo bull… I was starting to realize that this thing had only one gear: forward.**

"Good. Use that to your advantage." Said Athena.

 **Meanwhile, Grover started groaning in the grass. I wanted to yell at him to shut up, but the way I was getting tossed around, if I opened my mouth I'd bite my own tongue off.**

' **Food!' Grover moaned.**

"Grover." Nico groaned.

 **The bull-man wheeled towards him, pawed the ground again, and got ready to charge. I thought about how he had squeezed the life out of my mother, made her disappear in a flash of light, and rage filled me like high-octane fuel. I got both hands around one horn and I pulled backwards with all my might.**

"Not gonna happen, punk. Even my children couldn't do that." Ares scoffed.

Thalia and Nico smirked. _'Well, that Minotaur horn in cabin three had to come from somewhere.'_

 **The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then – snap!**

"WHAT?! HOW?!" Screamed Ares.

Thalia laughed. "The rain. Water rejuvenates him and gives him strength."

Poseidon smiled proudly and patted his son's leg. "A true son of the sea god." Percy forced himself to smile at his father but it turned into a grimace as soon as the next line was said.

 **The bull-man screamed and flung me through the air… My head** **smacked against a rock. When I sat up, my vision was blurry, but I had a horn in my hands... The monster charged. Without thinking, I rolled to one side and came up kneeling. As the monster barrelled past, I drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage. The bull-man roared in agony… then began to disintegrate… the same way Mrs Dodds had burst apart. The monster was gone.**

"Good battle reflexes for an untrained demigod, punk." Praised Ares but still sneered at the son of Poseidon.

 **The rain had stopped… I wanted to lie down and cry, but there was Grover, needing my help, so I managed to haul him up and stagger down into the valley... I was crying, calling for my mother, but I held on to Grover – I wasn't going to let him go.**

"Such loyalty. Your friends are lucky to have you, Percy." Said Hestia.

 **The last thing I remember is collapsing on a wooden porch… They both looked down at me, and the girl said, 'He's the one. He must be.' 'Silence, Annabeth,' the man said. 'He's still conscious. Bring him inside.'**

Percy suddenly looked better and sat up straight. "Are you alright, son?" Percy looked at his father. "I'm fine, dad."

"Perce, since when did whatever happened to you started?" Inquired Nico.

"Since the museum." Answered Percy. Thalia pursed her lips and smacked Percy in the back of his head, "So since the beginning. Why didn't you tell us?"

Percy rubbed the back of his head. "That hurt, Pinecone Face! It actually affects my emotions too. At first I thought I might just be remembering the feeling but then I realized that the Fates told us about it in the note and I didn't want to worry anyone so I didn't say anything."

Poseidon, Thalia and Nico just sighed at Percy and then Percy asked Demeter. "Lady Demeter, is that the end of the chapter?"

Demeter looked at the next page and said, "Yes. Who's going to read next?"

Artemis looked at the sky and saw that it was starting to get dark. "I have to go and do my duties. It would only take while. We can resume when I return. I'll read the next chapter."

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement and started talking among themselves as Artemis left the throne room.

Hermes and Apollo approached the demigods and started pestering Percy to tell them more about his disastrous school trips. Zeus and Hera talked in hushed voices as they remain seated at their thrones. Hephaestus also stayed in his throne tinkering with a piece of metalwork on his lap while muttering something about demigods and dyslexia. Aphrodite and Ares stood up to go to the garden outside but right before they left Aphrodite looked back briefly to her husband as if thinking if she should just stay with him. Athena and Demeter were talking about something in one corner of the room. Dionysus disappeared right after Artemis left. Poseidon left his son with a pat on the head then proceeded to join Hades and Hestia who were talking near the hearth as they watched their nephews and niece having fun while talking about something.

"Why can't you be like your children? Look at how well they get along."

"We get along well enough." Defended Hades and Poseidon.

Hestia laughed. "I mean you two and Zeus. The both of you rarely have arguments. I know that. What I can't understand is why can't it be like that with our youngest brother too?"

The brothers groaned. Hades answered, "We tried, Hestia. We also wanted to get along with him. He's our youngest sibling for Olympus sake."

"But he's too proud and paranoid. He thinks we want to overthrow him and take over Olympus which by the way, we don't want, so somewhere down the line we just kind of gave up and stopped trying." Continued Poseidon.

Hestia sighed. She already had a hunch that Zeus was the problem but she didn't know what to do to remove the paranoia in her brother's mind.

"I hope that by seeing how your children act with each other, Zeus would realize that the three of you could also be like them." Hestia smiled at her nephews and niece.

Poseidon and Hades nodded at this as they continued to watch their sons with a smile.

* * *

A/N: A little break for the gods and the demigods from book reading. A new character arrives in the throne room in the next chapter. Guess who? Review! :)

~Lalabella


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Here is chapter 6! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

It has been half an hour since Artemis left to do her godly duties and everyone were still chatting and then the door to the throne room opened to reveal Artemis.

"Thank you for waiting. Shall we start?" Asked Artemis.

The Olympians went to their thrones except Poseidon who went back to the bean bag chair. Nico stared in surprise at his uncle but then offered, "Uncle Poseidon, you can sit her beside Percy. I can just sit down there."

Poseidon chuckled, "It's alright nephew. I'm fine here." Percy stared at his dad. "Dad, are you sure?" Poseidon nodded at his son and answered, "I'm sure besides I prefer a bean bag near my son than that throne as of the moment." Percy blushed while his cousins smiled at their uncle who is obviously relishing his son's presence near him.

"Artemis, you can start. Everyone seems to be settled in their seats." Said Hades. Artemis nodded.

" **Chapter 5, I Play Pinochle with a Horse…** "

Artemis was about to continue when there was a light in middle of the throne room near the hearth. When the light dimmed, a girl with blonde hair was sprawled on the floor. The girl sat up, groaned and opened her grey eyes.

Recognition flashed in Athena's face. "Annabeth?" Everyone just stared in shock at the girl.

The girl looked up and her eyes widened. "Mom?!" She got over her shock and observed her surroundings. She then knelt down.

Zeus being the dramatic god that he is used his booming voice and demanded Annabeth to stand up and introduce herself.

The girl stood up and said, "Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena." Athena smiled at her daughter and asked, "Annabeth, why are you here?" Annabeth looked at her mother and answered, "I don't know, mother. Last thing I remember, I was in Camp Half Blood and Chiron was trying to ease everyone's worry after we discovered that the children of the big three were suddenly missing."

Everyone was looking at her confused when a girl's voice made Annabeth turn around. "Annabeth? Are you our Annabeth?" Asked Thalia.

Annabeth's eyes lit up in joy. "You guys! You were just here! We were so worried!" But she suddenly looked confused when she processed the hunter's question. "What do you mean our Annabeth?"

Percy stared at her. "Annabeth, what year is it?" Annabeth looked confused but still answered. "It's 2009. Why are you asking Seaweed Brain? Did the seaweed finally completely filled your head and you forgot what year it is?"

The three demigods smiled and Nico said, "She's our Annabeth." The gods and goddesses now have a look of understanding in their faces but Annabeth was still confused.

Thalia started to explain. "Well, the Fates decided to kidnap us and send us back in the past. Today is the winter solstice in the year 2003. It looks like they sent you too. So what's happening at camp? You said everyone was in a panic."

Annabeth was silent for a while trying to grasp what Thalia just explained but then answered, "Huh. So that's why Chiron said the Fates told him that you guys were safe and not to worry. It was already sundown but Percy and Nico have not yet gotten back at camp then Phoebe came to camp saying that Thalia is missing and thought she might be in camp."

Percy looked contemplative. "And that's when the panic started because everyone in camp knew that the three of us are together and were supposed to get back at camp for Nico and I, Thalia with the hunters, by sundown and currently cannot be found. Did mom know?" Annabeth nodded and said, "She knows. I called her and asked if you three were with her but she said last time she saw you was when you guys went there before lunch to fetch Percy and then left. She was about to panic too but Chiron appeared and explained what the Fates said to him."

"Now, that's settled, can we please resume what we were doing?" Asked an irritated Hera.

"What were you doing?" Asked Annabeth.

"Annabeth dear, go and sit with your friends and have them explain what the Fates asked us to do." Athena smiled at her daughter as her daughter went to the couch.

Annabeth then finally noticed the guy sitting in a bean bag in front of Percy and bowed, "Lord Poseidon." Poseidon smiled at her and scooted his bean bag in front of Nico so Annabeth can pass and sit between Percy and Thalia. Thalia explained about the note from the Fates and the books in haste as they sensed the impatience from the other gods. When she was done explaining, Thalia signaled Artemis to resume reading.

 **I had weird dreams full of barnyard animals. Most of them wanted to kill me. The rest wanted food.**

"You have weird dreams, demigod." Observed Hephaestus without looking up and while he fiddled with something on his lap.

 **I must've woken up several times… The girl with curly blonde hair hovered over me, smirking as she scraped drips off my chin with the spoon.**

"By the way Annabeth, Percy said that you were a pretty girl with blonde hair curled like Cinderella in the last chapter." Thalia and Nico snickered.

Percy turned red. "Nico! You didn't have to tell her." Annabeth smirked at Percy. "Really, Seaweed Brain?" Percy looked away blushing while his dad was trying his best not to laugh at him.

 **When she saw my eyes open, she asked, 'What will happen at the summer solstice?' … 'What?'**

 **She looked around... 'What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!'**

"Wow. Grill him with questions as soon as he woke up. Not helping." Said Apollo. This time it was Annabeth who turned red.

' **I'm sorry,' I mumbled, 'I don't…' Somebody knocked on the door, and the girl quickly filled my mouth with pudding.**

"Well, that's one way to shut him up." Mused Thalia. Everyone laughed at Percy who just scowled.

 **The next time I woke up, the girl was gone.**

"Aww. He missed you already." Teased Aphrodite.

 **A husky blond dude, like a surfer, stood in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch over me…**

Hera smiled at the thought of Argus.

 **When I finally came around for good... I was sitting in a deck chair on a huge porch, gazing across a meadow at green hills in the distance… My tongue was dry and nasty and every one of my teeth hurt.**

Percy groaned. Annabeth turned to him to ask what's wrong but Thalia decided to tell her. "The demigods will feel what they felt in the book." Annabeth looked worried and held Percy's hand while remembering all the things that they went through that may be on the books.

 **On the table next to me was a tall drink… My hand was so weak I almost dropped the glass… 'Careful,' a familiar voice said.**

 **Grover was leaning against the porch railing... Just plain old Grover. Not the goat boy. So maybe I'd had a nightmare. Maybe my mom was okay…**

' **You saved my life,' Grover said. '… I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this.' Reverently, he placed the shoe box in my lap.**

 **Inside was a black-and-white bulls horn… splattered with dried blood. It hadn't been a nightmare. 'The Minotaur,' I said.**

"Oh Styx. I just missed the chapter about the fight with the Minotaur!" Whined Annabeth as she just realized that the current chapter was the events after Percy got to Camp Half Blood.

Thalia smirked, "Don't worry, Annie. I'll recount the fight to you later." Nico nodded and said, "It was so awesome!" Percy glared at him and Nico's grin faltered. "I mean it was bad but still awesome!" Annabeth chuckled at Nico.

…' **That's what they call it in the Greek myths, isn't it?' I demanded. 'The Minotaur. Half man, half bull.' Grover shifted uncomfortably. 'You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?'**

' **My mom. Is she really…' He looked down. I stared across the meadow... was the one with the huge pine tree on top. Even that looked beautiful in the sunlight.**

"What was that supposed to mean, Kelp Head?" Thalia glared but Percy just sighed sadly and nodded at Artemis to continue.

 **My mother was gone. The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should look beautiful.**

"Oh. Sorry." Thalia looked down. Percy smiled at her sadly and whispered, "It's okay, Thals."

' **I'm sorry,' Grover sniffled. 'I'm a failure. I'm – I'm the worst satyr in the world.'**

"No, he's not!" Disagreed the demigods while Zeus snorted.

 **He moaned… the Converse hi-top came off. The inside was filled with Styrofoam, except for a hoof-shaped hole. 'Oh, Styx!' he mumbled.**

… **As he struggled to get his hoof back in the fake foot, I thought, Well, that settles it. Grover was a satyr… my mom really had been squeezed into nothingness, dissolved into yellow light.**

 **I was alone. An orphan. I would have to live with… Smelly Gabe? No… I'd do something.**

"Oh no, you don't. You're staying in camp, son. You're safer there or…" Poseidon hummed and grinned. "I can just abduct you and hide you in Atlantis."

Everyone but the demigods and Hestia stared at Poseidon with wide eyes and mouths open. Then Zeus recovered and warningly said, "Poseidon!"

Poseidon chuckled. "Oh shut up, Drama Queen. I'm just kidding." Then Poseidon winked at his son and murmured, "Or not."

The demigods chuckled while Percy thought, _'My dad is really overprotective. I wonder how he'll react with everything that's going to happen. I hope he doesn't break down or blast someone.'_

 **Grover was still sniffling. The poor kid – poor goat, satyr, whatever – looked as if he expected to be hit.**

"Don't you dare, Kelp Head." Warned Thalia.

Percy looked at her incredulously. "Seriously? You really think I'll do that?" He sounded so offended.

Thalia realized what she said and looked apologetic. "Sorry. I know you won't. I'm just…" Percy cut her off. "Overprotective of Grover? I know. I am too, Pinecone Face." The two cousins grinned at each other while Nico and Annabeth just shook their head.

 **I said, 'It wasn't your fault.' 'Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you.' … 'But why…' I suddenly felt dizzy, my vision swimming.**

Percy suddenly lurched forward and was about to hit the floor face first but Poseidon caught his son. Nico and Annabeth pulled Percy back and Nico asked, "You okay, Perce?"

Percy nodded, leaned back on the couch and said, "Yeah. Just a little dizzy."

' **Don't strain yourself,' Grover said. 'Here.' He helped me hold my glass and put the straw to my lips. I recoiled at the taste, because I was expecting apple juice… Liquid cookies. And not just any cookies – my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies...**

The demigods and Poseidon licked their lips as they thought about Sally's blue cookies.

 **Drinking it, my whole body felt warm and good, full of energy. My grief didn't go away… Before I knew it, I'd drained the glass… 'Was it good?' Grover asked. I nodded.**

' **What did it taste like?' He sounded so wistful, I felt guilty. 'Sorry,' I said. 'I should've let you taste.'**

"No! Satyr's can't drink that, little cousin." Informed Apollo.

"I didn't know back then. I know better now."

 **His eyes got wide. 'No! That's not what I meant. I just… wondered.' …He sighed. 'And how do you feel?' 'Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred metres.'**

"Is that a good thing?" Asked Hestia.

Annabeth laughed. "For Percy, yeah but for Nancy, probably not."

' **That's good,' he said. 'That's good. I don't think you should risk drinking any more of that stuff.'**

' **What do you mean?' He took the empty glass… 'Come on. Chiron and Mr D are waiting.'**

"Great. Another brat." Complained Dionysus. The gods glared at him.

… **My legs felt wobbly trying to walk that far. Grover offered to carry the Minotaur horn, but I held on to it. I'd paid for that souvenir the hard way. I wasn't going to let it go.**

"Good. Always treasure your spoils of war." Hummed Ares.

Percy paled. _'Did Ares just praise me? Oh my gods. The world must be ending!'_

 **As we came around the opposite end of the house, I caught my breath. We must've been on the north shore of Long Island…**

The demigods sighed in happiness, "Home sweet home."

 **Down at the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blonde-haired girl who'd spoon-fed me popcorn-flavoured pudding was leaning on the porch rail next to them.**

 **The man facing me was small, but porky… He looked like a cherub who'd turned middle-aged in a trailer park.**

Dionysus sneered at Percy. "Perry Johanson, do you want to get blasted?"

Poseidon glared at Dionysus. "Don't you dare, nephew." Dionysus huffed and everyone chuckled at him.

 **He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiian shirt… I got the feeling this guy could've out-gambled even my stepfather.**

Dionysus calmed down. "Of course I can, Peter."

' **That's Mr D,' Grover murmured to me. 'He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper... And you already know Chiron…' He pointed at the guy whose back was to me. First, I realized he was sitting in the wheelchair… 'Mr Brunner!' I cried.**

Dionysus smirked. "I knew it was him." The other gods nodded in recognition.

 **The Latin teacher turned and smiled at me... 'Ah, good, Percy,' he said. 'Now we have four for pinochle.' He offered me a chair to the right of Mr D... 'Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now don't expect me to be glad to see you.'**

"You have to be more welcoming, Dionysus. That's what a proper director should do." Chastised Hera. Dionysus just grunted in response while his immortal brothers snickered at him.

' **Uh, thanks.' I scooted a little further away from him… If Mr D was a stranger to alcohol, I was a satyr.**

Everyone in the room except Zeus and Ares frowned at the mention of Percy's stepfather, Gabe.

' **Annabeth?' Mr Brunner called to the blonde girl. She came forward and Mr Brunner introduced us. 'This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy…' Annabeth said, 'Sure, Chiron.'**

 **She was probably my age, maybe a couple of centimetres taller, and a whole lot more athletic-looking… except her eyes ruined the image.**

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at Percy, "What does that mean, Seaweed Brain?" Thalia and Nico snickered at Percy. Percy just sighed and said, "Listen. Lady Artemis, please continue."

 **They were a startling grey, like storm clouds; pretty, but intimidating, too, as if she were analysing the best way to take me down in a fight.**

"Oh. Yeah, I was." Annabeth blushed.

… **I imagined she was going to say, You killed a Minotaur! or Wow, you're so awesome! or something like that.**

Thalia snorted, "In your dreams, Kelp Head."

 **Instead she said, 'You drool when you sleep.'**

There was a brief moment of silence then everyone except Percy and Annabeth burst out laughing. Percy just turned red and hid his face behind Annabeth as she tried to suppress a chuckle.

…' **So,' I said, anxious to change the subject. 'You, uh, work here, Mr Brunner?'**

' **Not Mr Brunner... You may call me Chiron.' 'Okay… And Mr D… does that stand for something?'**

… ' **Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason.'**

…' **I must say, Percy,' Chiron-Brunner broke in, 'I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time.'**

… **It seemed like so long ago, but I did have a fuzzy memory of there being another Latin teacher my first week at Yancy... 'You came to Yancy just to teach me?' I asked.**

 **Chiron nodded. 'Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first… Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test.'**

"A test that I failed." Thalia looked down on her lap. Annabeth held her hand and said, "You failed because you sacrificed yourself for us and for that I will be forever grateful." Thalia smiled at her.

' **Grover,' Mr D said impatiently, 'are you playing or not?'**

' **Yes, sir!' Grover trembled as he took the fourth chair, though I didn't know why he should be so afraid of a pudgy little man in a tiger-print Hawaiian shirt.**

"What are you doing to the satyrs, Dionysus? They're obviously terrified of you." Asked Demeter. Dionysus just ignored her.

' **You do know how to play pinochle?' Mr D eyed me suspiciously. …I was liking the camp director less and less.**

"The feeling is mutual, Pierre." Said Dionysus as he drank his diet coke.

…' **Please,' I said, 'what is this place? What am I doing here? Mr Brun – Chiron – why would you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?' Mr D snorted. 'I asked the same question.'**

… **He expected me to have the right answer. 'Percy,' he said. 'Did your mother tell you nothing?'**

' **She said…' …She wanted to keep me close to her.'**

' **Typical,' Mr D said. 'That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?'**

…' **I'm afraid there's too much to tell,' Chiron said. 'I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient.'**

"You didn't watch the orientation film?" Asked a very surprised Annabeth.

Percy shook his head. "Nope." Annabeth grimaced. "Oh. I'm sorry for being so mean before. I really thought you watched it." Percy smiled. "It's okay."

"It was very informative. You should have watched it." Thalia nodded in agreement with Nico.

Percy stared at his cousins. "Wait. So the two of you watched it too?" His cousins nodded and he whined. "This is so unfair! When we get back, I'm so demanding Chiron to let me watch it!"

Everyone laughed at him, some mockingly and some in pure amusement.

' **Orientation film?' I asked.**

' **No,' Chiron decided. 'Well, Percy… Gods – the forces you call the Greek gods – are very much alive.'**

… **I waited for somebody to yell, Not! But all I got was Mr D yelling, 'Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!' He cackled as he tallied up his points… 'Wait,' I told Chiron. 'You're telling me there's such a thing as God.'**

' **Well, now,' Chiron said. 'God – capital G, God... We shan't deal with the metaphysical.' 'Metaphysical? But you were just talking about –' 'Ah, gods, plural… That's a smaller matter.'**

Everyone covered their ears before Zeus' voice boomed in the throne room. "SMALLER?!"

Hades rolled his eyes at his brother. "Shut up, Air Head. Niece, continue before your father throws one of his famous tantrums." Zeus gaped at Hades like a fish as everyone tried to suppress a laugh.

' **Smaller!'**

"Like father like son." Teased Poseidon. Zeus and Dionysus both scowled.

' **Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class.' 'Zeus,' I said. 'Hera. Apollo. You mean them.'**

"HA! He said my name!" Boasted Apollo. Artemis just rolled her eyes at her twin.

"But isn't ironic that he mentioned father's name but not Uncle P's?" Observed Hermes.

Everyone's attention suddenly went to Percy as he shrugged and said, "I don't know. In my defense, I think I was still a little bit disoriented and the new information was piling up and I just couldn't process it."

 **And there it was again – distant thunder on a cloudless day.**

' **Young man,' said Mr D. 'I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you.'**

' **But they're stories,' I said. 'They're – myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science.'**

' **Science!' Mr D scoffed. 'And tell me, Perseus Jackson –'**

 **I flinched when he said my real name, which I never told anybody.**

"I'm actually curious about that. Why don't you tell anybody your real name?" Inquired Nico. Thalia nodded and Annabeth added, "Yeah. I think everyone we know who knows your real name just heard it from monsters, titans or gods which is weird considering that we are friends and we should know more about you than them. Well, maybe except your dad coz he's your dad."

Percy blushed. "Well, when I was a kid, my schoolmates used to make fun of me and tell me that my name was weird and if you think about it, it's really an unusual name in our generation so I just got used to introducing myself with 'Percy' Jackson instead of Perseus."

The demigods frowned at the mention of people making fun of their friend but just nodded because finally they know the reason after contemplating about it for a long time.

'– **what will people think of your "science" two thousand years from now?' Mr D continued. 'Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo…'**

 **I wasn't liking Mr D much, but there was something about the way he called me mortal, as if… he wasn't...**

' **Percy,' Chiron said, 'you may choose to believe or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?'**

…' **You mean, whether people believed in you or not,' I said.**

' **Exactly,' Chiron agreed. 'If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth… explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?'**

"Oh man. That was unnecessary, Chiron." Groaned Nico.

… **I said, 'I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods.' 'Oh, you'd better,' Mr D murmured. 'Before one of them incinerates you.'**

… **He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass. The goblet filled itself with red wine.**

"DIONYSUS!" Yelled Zeus. But before he could say more Artemis continued reading.

 **My jaw dropped, but Chiron hardly looked up.'Mr D,' he warned, 'your restrictions.'**

… ' **Old habits! Sorry!' More thunder.**

… **Chiron winked at me. 'Mr D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits.'**

"And why, dear husband, is this wood nymph off-limits?" Asked Hera in a cold dangerous voice.

Zeus chuckled nervously and said, "Um, I don't remember?" Hera sneered at him but then let it go.

Everyone snickered at him and Zeus glared at everyone except Hera.

' **A wood nymph,' I repeated, still staring at the Diet Coke can like it was from outer space.**

' **Yes,' Mr D confessed. 'Father loves to punish me… Ha! Absolutely unfair.' Mr D sounded about six years old, like a pouting little kid.**

"Actually, it really is unfair. I mean, Mr. D is the god of wine and he's not allowed to have wine. It's like Lord Zeus being punished by staying out of the skies and like dad being forbidden to go to any bodies of water." Pondered Percy.

The demigods looked worriedly at him. "What are you doing, Kelp Head?" Whispered Thalia.

Percy winked at her and whispered back. "I'm trying to help Mr. D even just a little bit. Think of it as paying my debt when he helped us in our quest." Thalia nodded as she remembered that quest while Annabeth and Nico just looked confused.

The Olympians looked pensive even Zeus but Poseidon heard what his son whispered to his niece and decided to help his son. "My son has a point, Zeus."

Zeus nodded at this. "I agree. Dionysus, you can have two goblets of wine per week."

"Thank you, Father." Dionysus produced a goblet of red wine and released a sigh of satisfaction.

No one noticed the smug smile on Percy's face as they all turned to Artemis to listen.

' **And…' I stammered, 'your father is…' '…I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course.'**

 **I ran through D names from Greek mythology. Wine... 'You're Dionysus,' I said. 'The god of wine.'**

 **Mr D rolled his eyes. 'What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, "Well, duh!"?'**

' **Y-yes, Mr D.' 'Then, "Well, duh!" Percy Jackson. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?'**

Aphrodite gasped. "I'm offended!"

' **You're a god.' 'Yes, child.' 'A god. You.'**

Hermes snorted. "Don't worry, Percy. We still have problems believing that too." Apollo laughed at this as Dionysus glared at the two troublemaker gods.

 **He turned to look at me straight on… He would plant a disease in my brain that would leave me wearing a straitjacket in a rubber room for the rest of my life. 'Would you like to test me, child?' he said quietly.**

' **No. No, sir.' The fire died a little. He turned back to his card game. 'I believe I win.'**

Hermes sputtered. "B—but, you never win against him!"

' **Not quite, Mr D,' Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, 'The game goes to me.'**

Hermes sighed in relief, "Ah. Everything is better again."

Dionysus was too happy and content that he didn't even comment about his loss to Chiron and what Hermes said.

… **Mr D turned to me. 'Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners.' He swept into the farmhouse, Grover following miserably.**

' **Will Grover be okay?' I asked Chiron.**

 **Chiron nodded, though he looked a bit troubled. 'Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been… ah, grounded...' 'Mount Olympus,' I said. 'You're telling me there really is a palace there?'**

' **Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do.'**

' **You mean the Greek gods are here? Like… in America?'**

…' **Come now, Percy. What you call "Western civilization"…The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know – or as I hope you know, since you passed my course – the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps – Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on – but the same forces, the same gods.'**

' **And then they died.'**

"Do we look dead, boy?" Asked Zeus in a threatening manner. Poseidon glared at his brother.

' **Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany, to France, to Spain, for a while… America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here.'**

 **It was all too much, especially the fact that I seemed to be included in Chiron's we, as if I were part of some club. 'Who are you, Chiron? Who… who am I?'**

"Wow, I didn't know you had a flare of dramatics too, Percy." Teased Apollo.

Percy shrugged. "I guess it runs in the family. I mean everyone of us has had times like that, right?"

 **Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up out of his wheelchair, but I knew that was impossible. He was paralysed from the waist down.**

' **Who are you,' he mused. 'Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? …Besides, there will be toasted marshmallows at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore them.'**

"Adore would be an understatement." Muttered Annabeth.

Percy and Nico nodded while Thalia suggested, "Obsessed would be a better word for it."

… **I stared at the horse who had just sprung from the wheelchair: a huge white stallion. But where its neck should be was the upper body of my Latin teacher, smoothly grafted to the horse's trunk.**

' **What a relief the centaur said. 'I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Percy Jackson. Let's meet the other campers.'**

"That's the end of the chapter. Who's next?" Asked Artemis.

"I'll read next, Artemis." Volunteered Aphrodite. Artemis handed the book to goddess of love and went back to her throne.

As Artemis settled down, Aphrodite started.

" **Chapter 6, I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom…** "

* * *

A/N: And Annabeth appears! I've always wondered why Percy never introduces himself as Perseus and this is the possible reason that I came up with. What do you think? Review! :)

~Lalabella


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: To my awesome readers, here is chapter 7! Thank you again for the reviews! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

After hearing the title of the chapter Hermes, Ares, Apollo, Thalia and Nico laughed hysterically to the point that there were tears in their eyes. Dionysus choked on his wine when a laugh attempted to escape his lips. All the other immortal beings were trying to stop themselves from laughing and giggling. Annabeth put a hand on Percy's shoulder as she tried to hide a smile from her boyfriend. Percy just groaned and waited for them to calm down.

After a couple of minutes, Percy glowered at them. "You done now? Okay. Good. Let's continue please."

 **Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse, we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him… I'm sorry, I did not trust Chiron's back end the way I trusted his front.**

Annabeth smirked evilly. "Oh! You're so in trouble. I'm going to tell this to Chiron!"

Percy begged her. "No! Please? Please? Please?"

Nico scoffed. "You don't have to beg, Perce. You're Chiron's favorite student. He wouldn't get mad at you. I bet he'll just laugh it off."

Thalia nodded and Annabeth glared at her. "You were supposed to be on my side." Thalia smiled at her. "Sorry, Annie. Death Breath is right. Well, mostly. Percy and you are Chiron's favorites so it isn't even blackmail material to tell him this." Annabeth crossed her arms and huffed while Percy smiled victoriously.

 **We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the Minotaur horn I was carrying. Another said, 'That's him.' … I wasn't normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable…**

Artemis looked at Percy with fascination. _'Huh. A boy who doesn't crave attention from everyone, that's new.' Thought Artemis._

"I know what you feel, Kelp Head." Whined Thalia.

Nico nodded. "It's like we're zoo attractions."

Annabeth laughed at the cousins. "Big three children problems." The cousins sighed in irritation.

 **I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized… something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain… I was being watched.**

Apollo's jaw dropped. "MY ORACLE MOVED?! She never moves from her place there!" Shouted a surprised Apollo.

"Oh, she moves alright. It was very…" Thalia trailed off as she tried to think of the proper word to describe the memory in her head.

"Disturbing?" Supplied Percy. "Haunting?" Suggested Nico.

Thalia nodded. "Yeah. Disturbing and haunting would probably do." All three of them shuddered.

All the gods looked at them weirdly while Annabeth looked like she was suppressing a laugh at the sight of the frightened looks on her friends' faces.

' **What's up there?' I asked Chiron. He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. 'Just the attic.'**

' **Somebody lives there?' 'No,' he said with finality. 'Not a single living thing.'**

Apollo gasped. "Well, he is telling the truth." Acknowledged Hermes.

"HEY!" Apollo looked offended.

 **I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain. 'Come along, Percy,' Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. 'Lots to see.'**

 **We walked through the strawberry fields... 'It pays our expenses,' he explained. 'And the strawberries take almost no effort.' He said Mr D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants…**

… **I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, being lectured by Mr D. 'Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?' I asked Chiron. 'I mean… he was a good protector. Really.'**

 **...I wanted to protest. None of what had happened was Grover's fault… 'He'll get a second chance, won't he?'**

"That is his second chance, demigod. He failed his first. It was with Thalia. You're lucky he didn't get you killed like my daughter." Said Zeus.

All the demigods glared at Zeus. "I made my choice, Father. I plead you to please stop blaming Grover for my fate." Said menacingly by Thalia. Zeus not wanting to fight her daughter just bit back an angry retort.

 **Chiron winced. 'I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy… He's still so small for his age…'**

' **How old is he?' 'Oh, twenty-eight.'**

"What?! He's that old?" Asked Nico.

The other demigods looked at him surprised. Annabeth said, "You didn't know?"

Nico shook his head. "No. I thought he was of the same age with you and Percy."

Percy sighed. "What did the guys in the Hermes cabin explain to you while we were in the quest? Nevermind. I don't think I want to know. If I remember it correctly, Chiron will tell me why Grover looks like he's around our age."

…' **Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years.' 'That's horrible.'**

… **But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop… a tiny, hopeful fire – started forming in my mind.**

' **Chiron,' I said. 'If the gods and Olympus and all that are real…' … 'Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?'**

"Oh no, you won't, son." Warned Poseidon.

Percy looked confused. "Huh? What are you talking about, dad?"

 **Chiron's expression darkened. 'Yes, child.' He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. '…But for now… until we know more… I would urge you to put that out of your mind.'**

' **What do you mean, "until we know more"?' 'Come, Percy. Let's see the woods.'**

…' **You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?'**

Demeter frowned. "The child just got there! And obviously he wasn't aware about the other half of his family, how would he come to possess such weapons?"

"Well, Lady Demeter, some of the kids who arrive in camp already have their own weapon. For example, I already had my celestial bronze knife when I arrived at camp." Explained Annabeth.

' **My own –' 'No,' Chiron said. 'I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armoury later.' I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armoury, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued.**

"A camp full of kids that are on the monsters' kill list." Grumbled Thalia. The gods except Artemis, Hestia and Hera flinched at this.

 **We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheatre, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights… Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls. 'What do you do when it rains?' I asked.**

"It doesn't rain in Camp Half Blood, Perseus." Said Hera.

Hermes scoffed, "Unless father wants it to rain there." The other gods nodded grimly in agreement.

 **Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. 'We still have to eat, don't we?' I decided to drop the subject.**

"That doesn't answer his question." Whined Apollo.

Hermes hummed thoughtfully. "I just noticed. Nobody answers his questions and when they do, they don't answer it directly or they just give a vague answer."

Percy nodded in agreement. "If the people around me just answered my questions, my life would be so much easier and I wouldn't be so confused."

Annabeth, Nico and Thalia looked away whistling while sporting a not so believable innocent look on their faces.

 **Finally, he showed me the cabins... And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.**

The gods except Poseidon, Hades and Aphrodite glared at Percy. Percy's hand went to his father's shoulder as if that would protect him from the wrath of the other gods. Poseidon noticing this glared at the other gods and they all looked away. Satisfied with the gods looking away from his son, he then gestured Aphrodite to keep reading.

Percy smugly smiled but no one noticed except his friends who shook their head in amusement and thought, _'Definitely spoiled rotten by Lord/Uncle Poseidon.'_

 **Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks like a tiny factory.**

Hephaestus stopped working on the metalwork on his lap for a few seconds and smiled at the description of his cabin.

 **Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass.**

"Ah. I hope my children are living comfortably there and of course eating cereal too." Hades and Nico grunted.

 **Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at.**

"Gold is the way to go!" Cheered Apollo. Artemis rolled her eyes at her brother. _'He's such a child.'_

 **They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).**

"Oh! You play basketball? Can you teach me? Please?" Nico looked at Percy with puppy dog eyes.

' _Percy's life points are reduced to zero.' Thought amused by Thalia and Annabeth._

Percy chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair. "You don't have to use that on me. I'll teach you when we get back to our time."

The goddesses except Athena and Artemis cooed at the interaction.

 **In the centre of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smouldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.**

"You noticed me?" Inquired a smiling Hestia.

Percy nodded and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry I didn't stop by and say hi."

Hestia smiled warmly at him. "It's okay. I bet your mind was reeling from all the information that is being dump at you one by one. You're the first to truly see me after a few millennia. Thank you, nephew." Percy blushed but smiled brightly at his aunt.

 **The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve...**

Zeus looked smug but frowned when he saw Thalia's nose scrunch up. "What's wrong Thalia? Don't you like the cabin?"

Thalia shuddered. "Well, the cabin has no furniture. I had to get a sleeping bag from the store the first time I stayed there, and… uh… it doesn't have a bathroom."

Percy looked like something finally clicked in his mind. "Huh. So that's why before you joined the hunters you asked me if you could use my cabin when I'm not in camp. Well, I didn't have a private bathroom before too. I had to ask dad for that." The other gods raised their eyebrows after hearing this.

Annabeth teasingly said, "And because Lord Poseidon loves to spoil Seaweed Brain, the next day, early in the morning, he sent a message to Chiron to construct a private bathroom in cabin three immediately because his son asked for it the night before." Poseidon just grinned at his son knowing that he would actually do that and Percy turned red at the amused and teasing looks from everyone in the room except Zeus and Hera.

"That's pretty bold of you to ask a god even if he is your father for such trivial things." Chastised Hera.

Apparently, Poseidon was appalled to hear that and defended his son. "As a parent, even if I am a god, it is my duty to give my son what he needs if it is in my power to do so, sister."

Thalia nodded approval. "Good thing too that Uncle doesn't blast me for staying there. And also, I'm not saying this to disrespect you, father, or anything but the statue is just plain creepy."

Everyone except the demigods, Zeus and Hera roared with laughter at this. "I told you little brother. The statue is overkill. And Thalia you're welcome to use my cabin if Percy gave you permission to. If he trusts you with the cabin, then I'll trust you too."

Zeus growled and was about to say something but Nico spoke first. "Oh. Oh. Does that extend to me too, Uncle Poseidon?"

Poseidon laughed. "Of course, Nico." But his expression turned thoughtful and then asked, "My brother doesn't have a cabin in camp. Where do you stay? In Hermes' cabin?" Hades leaned forward wanting to know too where his son stays. _'I heard that Hermes' cabin is overcrowded already. My son couldn't be comfortable there. I have to thank Poseidon later for allowing Nico to stay in his cabin.'_

The demigods looked at each other and then Percy said, "Go ahead. Just try telling them. We'll lose our voice when we cannot say something so we'll just find out."

Nico looked at Poseidon and answered his question. "Well, Dad has a cabin now because—" He suddenly lost his voice. "So I can't say how. So I'll just tell you why I want to stay in cabin three. Since I'm alone there I kind of feel lonely and Percy is good company especially when Tyson visits so sometimes I want to stay there but I'm scared that you might blast me to bits so I never asked."

' _Alone? Where is Bianca then?' Thought Hades._

All the gods looked surprised that Hades had a cabin and silence ensued but Percy broke it with a chuckle. "You should have asked, Nics. I would have let you stay there. We have many unoccupied beds. Well, Pinecone Face already had dibs in one of those beds even if she rarely stays there anymore so just choose a different one."

Thalia smiled. "Oh! We can have a Big Three Sleepover in cabin three when the hunters visit!" Percy and Nico smiled at this liking the idea while Annabeth looked fondly at the three cousins. _'It's like they're siblings not cousins.'_

Poseidon and Hades smiled at the bond that their sons and niece have. Zeus frowned not liking the fact that his brothers, their sons and his daughter were all getting along so well. Too well for his liking. "Let's continue."

 **Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.**

Hera smiled at the mention of her cabin.

' **Zeus and Hera?' I guessed. 'Correct,' Chiron said. 'Their cabins look empty.'**

' **Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two.'**

"As it should be." Hera glared at Zeus and Zeus just chuckled nervously.

 **Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?**

"I don't know if we should be offended that he compared us to a mascot or not since it's somewhat like that." Pondered Hermes.

 **I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three. It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid... I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, 'Oh, I wouldn't do that!'**

"Hey! I'm offended! I won't smite anyone just for looking in the cabin even if he/she isn't mine." Protested Poseidon like a child.

Everyone chuckled at him including Percy. _'Dad really acts like a child sometimes.'_ Poseidon just pouted.

 **Before he could pull me back, I caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk… Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Come along, Percy.'**

Annabeth hummed thoughtfully. "It's like the cabin was calling out to Seaweed Brain."

 **Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.**

 **Number five was bright red – a real nasty paint job, as if the colour had been splashed on with buckets and fists… She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.**

Ares smirked proudly at the mention of his cabin and kids.

 **I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves. 'We haven't seen any other centaurs,' I observed. 'No,' said Chiron sadly. 'My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid… But you won't see any here.'**

"Party Ponies!" Exclaimed the demigodsm, Hermes and Apollo.

' **You said your name was Chiron. Are you really…' He smiled down at me. 'The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am.' 'But, shouldn't you be dead?'**

"PERCY!" Chided most of the occupants of the room.

"Tact, Kelp Head. TACT." Thalia shook her head in disbelief.

Percy just smiled sheepishly.

 **Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. 'I honestly don't know about should be… But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed.'**

"Chiron will always be needed." Everyone agreed with Athena.

 **I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list. 'Doesn't it ever get boring?' 'No, no,' he said. 'Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring.' …'Oh, look,' he said. 'Annabeth is waiting for us.'**

"Chiron is good at lying but terrible at changing the subject." Hermes brought out his phone and ordered, "Martha, put in my to do list that Chiron needs subject changing lessons."

"Got it." Said Martha. "Do you have rats?" Asked George. "Shut up, George! He will set us in vibrate if you keep talking." Scolded Martha. George decided to shut up after mumbling. "Fine. I don't like being in vibrate."

Hermes sighed and put his phone in his pocket. The demigods just chuckled at George and Martha.

 **The blonde girl I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.**

"You already know my name but I'm still 'the blonde girl' in your head." Annabeth glared at her boyfriend. Percy shifted in his seat nervously.

 **When we reached her, she looked me over critically, like she was still thinking about how much I drooled. I tried to see what she was reading, but I couldn't make out the title… 'Annabeth,' Chiron said, 'I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?'**

…' **Cabin eleven,' Chiron told me, gesturing towards the doorway. 'Make yourself at home.'**

 **Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old.**

"HEY!" Protested Hermes. "Sorry." Said Percy. _'I think I'll probably offend everyone here in the room at some point. Oh man. I hope they don't blast me for my thoughts.'_

 **The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it…? A caduceus. Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds… It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation centre.**

Hermes glared at the other gods. They just pretended not to notice this.

 **Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully. 'Well, then,' Chiron said. 'Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner.'**

 **He galloped away towards the archery range. I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids… 'Well?' Annabeth prompted. 'Go on.' So naturally I tripped coming in the door…**

 **Annabeth announced, 'Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven.' 'Regular or undetermined?' somebody asked. I didn't know what to say, but Annabeth said, 'Undetermined.' Everybody groaned.**

"That's their reaction to me too. It's unfair that Thalia didn't go through that." Complained Nico.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "At least you hadn't been a tree for five or more years."

Nico pursed his lips. "Touché."

 **A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. 'Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there.'**

 **The guy was about nineteen, and he looked pretty cool... The only thing unsettling about his appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash.**

A flash of recognition was on Hermes' face but then frowned. _'Where did he get that scar?'_

' **This is Luke,' Annabeth said... 'He's your counsellor for now.'**

No one noticed the sad looks on the demigods' faces.

' **For now?' I asked. 'You're undetermined,' Luke explained patiently. 'They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travellers.'**

"Emphasis on the word 'visitors'. Your children aren't supposed to stay in my cabin forever! That is for my kids! Please claim you children!" Hermes glared at the other gods. The demigods hummed in agreement with Hermes.

 **I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me… I thought about setting that down, but then I remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves. I looked around at the campers' faces…**

"Better be careful then, little cousin. My sons will take that if you give them a chance." Hermes smirked at his cousin.

' **How long will I be here?' I asked. 'Good question,' Luke said. 'Until you're determined.'**

… **When we were a few metres away, Annabeth said, 'Jackson, you have to do better than that.'**

"Sorry about this, Seaweed Brain. I really thought that you watched the orientation film." Percy just smiled at Annabeth and held her hand.

' **What?' She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, 'I can't believe I thought you were the one.'**

' **What's your problem?' I was getting angry now. 'All I know is, I kill some bull guy –'**

' **Don't talk like that!' Annabeth told me. 'You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?' 'To get killed?' 'To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?'**

Thalia hummed. "Let me see, how about to survive?"

"Annabeth, my dear, we don't fight just for the sake of it. We do it to defend ourselves and survive." Chastised Athena. Ares scoffed and Athena glared at him.

Annabeth looked down. "I know. It's just… I've been in camp for so long and I'm having cabin fever."

 **I shook my head. 'Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories…'**

…' **And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So…'**

"Gajillion? There is no such word, Sea Spawn." Corrected Athena. Everyone but Annabeth groaned at her.

' **Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die.' 'Oh, thanks. That clears it up.'**

' **They don't have souls, like you and me... Eventually, they re-form.' I thought about Mrs Dodds. 'You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword –' 'The Fu… I mean, your maths teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad.'**

"She's still mad at you, you know." Informed Nico.

…' **You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?'**

…' **You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all.'**

"I've always wondered why we call them Kindly Ones. Are they even kind?" Asked Percy.

Everyone looked thoughtfully at Hades and he said, "What?! Why are you looking at me? I don't know too. I don't even call them that. I call them by their proper names."

' **Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?' I sounded whiny…**

 **I pointed to the first few cabins, and Annabeth turned pale. 'You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or… your parent.' She stared at me, waiting for me to get it. 'My mom is Sally Jackson,' I said…**

'… **I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad.' 'He's dead. I never knew him.'**

 **Annabeth sighed... 'Your father's not dead, Percy.' … 'You don't know anything about me.'**

"He's getting defensive." Teased Thalia.

' **No?' She raised an eyebrow. 'I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them.'… 'Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too.'**

 **I tried to swallow my embarrassment. 'What does that have to do with anything?'**

Hermes frowned. "Now, you're upsetting him. This could have gone better and shorter. Apollo, help me out. You pretend to be Percy and I will pretend to be Annabeth." Apollo nodded and they faced each other with serious expressions. They now have everyone's attention. Hermes cleared his throat and started.

"You're a demigod, Percy." Apollo's face scrunched up in confusion. "I'm a what?"

Hermes put his hands on Apollo's shoulders and answered, "A demigod."

Apollo's eyes widened and he stuttered. "A d—demigod? What's that?"

By now, everyone except Annabeth and Athena were suppressing a laugh.

Hermes sighed. "A demigod is half human and half god. Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's a god. He's one of the Olympians."

After a few seconds of silence, Hermes clapped his hands once and said, "And that's how you should have handled that Annabeth."

Apollo nodded and added, "See? It was shorter and better."

Everyone laughed except for the mother and daughter who were glaring at Hermes and Apollo.

Thalia put a hand on Annabeth's shoulder as she stopped herself from laughing. "Don't get mad Annie. Lord Hermes is actually right and you know it too." Annabeth just sighed and said, "Sorry Seaweed Brain."

Percy grinned at her. "It's alright. Now that I've been at camp longer, I understand. All your other siblings are like that too. I think it runs in the family but remember, sometimes simple is better so try to keep it simple next time, okay?"

Annabeth smiled at him and nodded at Aphrodite to continue.

' **Taken together, it's almost a sure sign...' 'You sound like… you went through the same thing?'**

' **Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar.' 'Ambrosia and nectar.'**

' **The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid...' A half-blood. I was reeling with so many questions I didn't know where to start.**

Percy released an indignant huff and Nico hummed. "Huh. Maybe some of the times that he acts like an idiot are our fault too." Thalia and Annabeth just frowned.

 **Then a husky voice yelled, 'Well! A newbie!'**

 **I looked over. The big girl from the ugly red cabin was sauntering towards us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean-looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.**

' **Clarisse,' Annabeth sighed. 'Why don't you go polish your spear or something?'**

' **Sure, Miss Princess,' the big girl said. 'So I can run you through with it Friday night.'**

…' **Percy Jackson,' Annabeth said, 'meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares.' I blinked. 'Like… the war god?'**

"You have a problem with that, punk?" Sneered Ares. Percy just snorted and gestured Aphrodite to read.

 **Clarisse sneered. 'You got a problem with that?'**

Percy smirked. "Like father like daughter." Ares growled at him but Percy just ignored it.

' **No,' I said, recovering my wits. 'It explains the bad smell.' Clarisse growled. 'We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy.' …'Stay out of it, wise girl.'**

Nico and Thalia gasped. Everyone looked at them confused. Thalia spoke. "That's where you got that from?"

Realization dawned on the couple and they blushed. Percy just said, "Drop it." His cousins laughed and nodded at Aphrodite to continue leaving the immortals confused on what they were talking about.

 **Annabeth looked pained, but she did stay out of it, and I didn't really want her help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep… I was kicking and punching. I'd been in plenty of fights before, but this big girl Clarisse had hands like iron.**

Ares smugly said, "You aren't getting away from my daughter, punk."

Percy and Annabeth just smirked at him.

 **She dragged me into the girls' bathroom… if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier toilets.**

"Huh. We probably could so why don't we?" Asked Hermes. The other gods just looked at him and shrugged.

 **Clarisse's friends were all laughing... 'Like he's "Big Three" material,' Clarisse said as she pushed me towards one of the toilets. 'Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid-looking.'**

… **Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head towards the toilet bowl… I was looking at the scummy water thinking, I will not go into that. I won't.**

"Water powers unleashed!" Cheered Nico.

Thalia sighed but amusement was clear in her eyes. "I just knew something like that would happen as soon as I heard the word bathroom."

… **Water shot out of the toilet, making an arc straight over my head, and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the bathroom tiles with Clarisse screaming behind me. I turned just as water blasted out of the toilet again, hitting Clarisse straight in the face so hard it pushed her down onto her butt… She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming towards her. But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back…**

Hermes and Apollo had tears in their eyes as they laughed hysterically.

 **As soon as they were out the door, I felt the tug in my gut lessen, and the water shut off as quickly as it had started. The entire bathroom was flooded. Annabeth hadn't been spared. She was dripping wet... I looked down and realized I was sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room…**

Poseidon smirked proudly at what his son is capable of and patted his son's leg. This made Percy smile.

 **I stood up, my legs shaky. Annabeth said, 'How did you…' 'I don't know.'**

"I still don't understand how you didn't figure out who his father is after that display of power." Said Thalia.

Annabeth shrugged. "The big three gods except for Lord Zeus," Zeus glared at her and quickly continued, "no offense because he already sired you, were ruled out of my list of possible godly parent for him because of the oath so I didn't connect it to Lord Poseidon. And because of mom's rivalry with him, I think I didn't want to think of the possibility that he was Lord Poseidon's son."

 **We walked to the door. Outside, Clarisse and her friends were sprawled in the mud, and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk… 'You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead.'**

Nico poked Percy's arm and said, "Nope. He's still alive." Everyone but Ares chuckled at this.

 **I probably should have let it go, but I said, 'You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth.'**

"Ah. One of the only few good comebacks that he said in his life." Mocked Thalia.

"Yeah. Wait. Hey!" Percy glared at her as everyone laughed at him.

 **Her friends had to hold her back. They dragged her towards cabin five, while the other campers made way to avoid her flailing feet. Annabeth stared at me…**

"You're lucky that it's only shower water or I would have socked you in the face." Muttered Annabeth.

' **What?' I demanded. 'What are you thinking?' 'I'm thinking,' she said, 'that I want you on my team for capture the flag.'**

Aphrodite closed the book and said, "Well, that's the end of the chapter. Who's going to read next?"

Hephaestus stopped working on the thing on his lap and looked at his wife. "I'll read. Please pass the book."

Aphrodite smiled at him as she handed him the book which surprised the blacksmith and made Ares frown. Hephaestus opened the book and found the next chapter.

" **Chapter 7, My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke…** "

* * *

A/N: Another chapter done. Having a flare for dramatics really runs in the family. The impromptu skit by Hermes and Apollo is proof. What do you guys think? Review! :)

~Lalabella


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: SURPRISE! Because I'm pleased with the reviews that I received I decided to post two chapters today. This chapter is dedicated to my awesome readers who always leave a review. You guys know who you are. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Here is chapter 8! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

A growl echoed in the throne room. All the gods looked at the demigods as they all looked down with a blush on their faces. Hermes, Apollo, Poseidon and Hades roared with laughter at the demigods. Hestia, Artemis, Athena and Demeter giggled at them.

"We'll eat after we finish this chapter. Sisters, would you like to help me prepare our dinner?" Asked Hestia. Demeter and Hera nodded then a double door appeared on the wall at the right side of the throne room. The three sisters walked towards the door but before Hestia passed through the door she turned back with a smile and said, "We'll leave the door open so we can listen while we do our work so you can continue reading."

As Hestia said, the double door was left open and when you try to look inside you'll see a god-sized kitchen. The demigods stared at the kitchen in amazement and the other gods just chuckled at their reaction. Hephaestus cleared his throat to get their attention and the four kids just smiled sheepishly at them.

 **Word of the bathroom incident spread immediately… were just staring at Annabeth, who was still pretty much dripping wet.**

Athena glared at Percy and he just looked at the goddess apologetically.

 **She showed me a few more places: the metal shop (where kids were forging their own swords),**

Hephaestus smiled proudly as he read this.

 **the arts-and-crafts room (where satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue of a goat-man),**

"His name is Pan not goat-man, little cousin." Hermes voice was a little bit on edge.

Percy was taken aback at the tone that Hermes used. Annabeth whispered to Percy. "Seaweed Brain, remember Lord Pan is Lord Hermes' son."

Realization dawned on him and looked regretfully at Hermes and said, "I'm sorry if I offended you, Lord Hermes."

Hermes looked at him dumbfounded at the sincerity and unusual respect in his troublemaker cousin's voice and then he smiled sadly. "No need to be so formal to me, cousin. I'm sorry too for the tone I used. I'm just a little sensitive about that son of mine. I haven't seen him in a long long time."

The demigods smiled sadly at him as they remembered what happened to Lord Pan.

 **and the climbing wall... Finally we returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.**

' **I've got training to do,' Annabeth said flatly. 'Dinner's at seven thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall.' 'Annabeth, I'm sorry about the toilets.' 'Whatever.' 'It wasn't my fault.'**

"It was kind of your fault, son. Though you didn't mean to, you still did that."

 **She looked at me skeptically, and I realized it was my fault… I had become one with the plumbing.**

Everyone laughed at him while Percy blushed but said, "Actually when I'm angry, I usually become one with the plumbing. That already happened more than I can count in school."

Hermes, Apollo, and the three other demigods laughed harder after hearing this.

' **You need to talk to the Oracle,' Annabeth said. 'Who?'**

… **I stared into the lake, wishing somebody would give me a straight answer for once.**

Percy pointedly looked at his cousins and girlfriend but they avoided looking back at him.

 **I wasn't expecting anybody to be looking back at me from the bottom… They smiled and waved as if I were a long-lost friend.**

"You kind of are." Said Aphrodite.

 **I didn't know what else to do. I waved back. 'Don't encourage them,' Annabeth warned. 'Naiads are terrible flirts.' … 'That's it. I want to go home now.'**

"After everything, the naiads are the ones who pushed you to want to go home. You're… strange, nephew." Observed Hades.

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not." Mused Percy as everyone chuckled at him.

 **Annabeth frowned. 'Don't you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us.' 'You mean, mentally disturbed kids?'**

"HEY! I mean you and Nico, maybe but Annabeth and me, no way." Complained Thalia.

Her cousins glared at him while Annabeth sniggered as she gave Thalia a high-five.

' **I mean not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human.'**

… **I didn't want to admit it, but I was afraid I did. I felt a tingling in my limbs, a sensation I sometimes felt when my mom talked about my dad. 'God,' I said. 'Half-god.'**

… **Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?'**

' _We should be offended but it's true so…' Thought the Olympians except Artemis, Hestia and Hera._

' **But those are just –' I almost said myths again. Then I remembered Chiron's warning that in two thousand years, I might be considered a myth. 'But if all the kids here are half-gods –'**

' **Demigods,' Annabeth said. 'That's the official term. Or half-bloods.'**

…' **Who's your mom, then?' 'Cabin six.'**

"See? Not giving me a straight answer. How was I supposed to know what cabin six means?" Pointed out Percy.

Annabeth just pursed her lips. "Touché, Seaweed Brain." Poseidon, Hermes, Apollo, Nico and Thalia chuckled at this.

' **Meaning?' Annabeth straightened. 'Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle.'**

…' **And my dad?' 'Undetermined,' Annabeth said, 'like I told you before. Nobody knows.'**

' **Except my mother. She knew.' 'Maybe not, Percy...'**

"I was wrong about that. Sorry Percy." Apologized Annabeth. Percy smiled at her.

' **My dad would have. He loved her.' Annabeth gave me a cautious look… Sometimes it happens.'**

' **You mean sometimes it doesn't?' Annabeth ran her palm along the rail. 'The gods are busy… They ignore us.'**

"We do care, Annabeth." Said Athena.

All the demigods frowned and Percy said angrily. "Then why are there so many unclaimed kids if you cared?"

Suddenly there was a sound of breaking glass in the kitchen. The gods and demigods except Percy turned to see a broken glass of water was the source of the sound. Thalia pulled the back of Percy's shirt. "Kelp Head, calm down. Your powers are responding to your emotions." Annabeth held his hand to calm him down and Nico looked at him worriedly.

The gods looked in astonishment at Percy as they heard what Thalia said. Poseidon held one of his son's hands. "Son, are you alright?" After hearing this Percy took a deep breath and calm down. "I'm fine, dad."

Percy gaze landed on the double doors to see the three goddesses who were preparing their food looking at him. He stood up and bowed towards them. "Lady Demeter, Lady Hera, Aunt Hestia, Please forgive me for the glass. I lost control for a moment there." He then turned towards the gods in the throne room and bowed. "Sorry about that. Please don't mind what I said. Let's continue."

The gods reluctantly turned back their attention to Hephaestus while Zeus thought. _'That child of my brother is too powerful. He's dangerous.'_

 **I thought about some of the kids I'd seen in the Hermes cabin, teenagers who looked sullen and depressed, as if they were waiting for a call that would never come… But gods should behave better.**

Looks of guilt were plastered in the faces of the other gods while Hermes looked at them pointedly.

' **So I'm stuck here,' I said. 'That's it? For the rest of my life?'**

' **It depends,' Annabeth said. 'Some campers only stay the summer…' 'So monsters can't get in here?'**

 **Annabeth shook her head. 'Not unless they're intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside.'**

' **Why would anybody want to summon a monster?' 'Practice fights. Practical jokes.'…**

"Who would actually do something like that?" Apollo shrugged and guessed. "If I had to guess, probably Hermes' kids, little sis." Artemis glared at Apollo for what he called her.

"I should be offended but I think that too and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't summon anything that could actually hurt someone in camp. They'd probably just do that for a prank."

' **The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm.'**

' **So… you're a year-rounder?' Annabeth nodded… It was just like Luke's, except Annabeth's also had a big gold ring strung on it, like a college ring.**

"The Sea Spawn is actually pretty observant. He must have gotten it from his mother, Barnacle Beard."

Everyone was expecting Poseidon to retaliate but was surprised when Poseidon just nodded and said, "He probably did."

' **I've been here since I was seven,' she said. 'Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year…'**

' **Why did you come so young?' She twisted the ring on her necklace. 'None of your business.'**

…' **So… I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?'**

"Oh no, you don't. Stay there and train, Perseus." Said Poseidon. Percy chuckled at his father. This made his cousins and girlfriend relax.

' **It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr D's or Chiron's permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless…'**

 **...She clenched her fists. '…Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal.' 'You've been to Olympus?'**

' **Some of us year-rounders… we took a field trip during winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council.' 'But… how did you get there?' '…Empire State Building, special elevator to the six-hundredth floor.'…**

' **Oh, sure.' As far as I knew, there were only a hundred and two floors in the Empire State Building, but I decided not to point that out. 'Right after we visited,' Annabeth continued, 'the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting…'**

All the gods looked alarmed and Athena asked, "What was stolen?"

The demigods looked at each other and Annabeth answered. "You'll find out soon in the book, mother."

 **I shook my head. I wished I could help her, but I felt too hungry and tired and mentally overloaded to ask any more questions. 'I've got to get a quest,' Annabeth muttered to herself…**

 **I could smell barbecue smoke coming from somewhere nearby… I left her on the pier, tracing her finger across the rail as if drawing a battle plan.**

Annabeth smiled proudly. "I was actually doing exactly that."

 **Back at cabin eleven… I noticed that a lot of the campers had similar features: sharp noses, upturned eyebrows, mischievous smiles...**

"Those would be my kids." Hermes smiled.

 **Thankfully, nobody paid much attention to me… The counsellor, Luke, came over. He had the Hermes family resemblance, too. It was marred by that scar on his right cheek, but his smile was intact.**

' **Found you a sleeping bag,' he said. 'And here, I stole you some toiletries from the camp store.'**

 **I couldn't tell if he was kidding about the stealing part.**

"My children wouldn't be kidding about that." Hermes looked like a proud father.

 **I said, 'Thanks.' … 'I don't belong here,' I said. 'I don't even believe in gods.'**

' **Yeah,' he said. 'That's how we all started. Once you start believing in them? It doesn't get any easier.' The bitterness in his voice surprised me…**

Hermes suddenly frowned and looked down with his hands clasped together.

' **So your dad is Hermes?' I asked. He pulled a switchblade out of his back pocket... 'Yeah. Hermes.'**

' **The wing-footed messenger guy.'**

Suddenly the gloomy aura around Hermes was gone as he smiled at Percy. "Yep! That's me!"

Ares looked at him stunned. "You're not offended?"

Hermes shook his head. "He actually had a better reaction than most. Most of them will just remember that I'm the god of thieves and being the wing-footed messenger guy is better than that."

' **That's him. Messengers. Medicine. Travellers, merchants, thieves. Anybody who uses the roads. That's why you're here, enjoying cabin eleven's hospitality. Hermes isn't picky about who he sponsors.'**

Apollo looked appalled. "What the? Medicine is more in my domain than his!"

Hermes laughed and said, "You're right. They always get confused because of the hospitals."

 **I figured Luke didn't mean to call me a nobody. He just had a lot on his mind.**

Thalia and Nico scowled while Annabeth and Percy just smiled sadly.

' **You ever meet your dad?' I asked. 'Once.'**

 **I waited, thinking that if he wanted to tell me, he'd tell me. Apparently, he didn't…**

 **Luke looked up and managed a smile. 'Don't worry about it, Percy… We take care of each other.'**

Thalia scowled even more. _'If you really thought that then you shouldn't have done what you did, Luke.'_

 **He seemed to understand how lost I felt, and I was grateful for that… He'd even stolen me some toiletries, which was the nicest thing anybody had done for me all day.**

Annabeth looked at Percy and thought. _'So that's why Percy easily got angry at his betrayal. He was his first friend in camp aside from Grover. Nobody can hurt you more than the people you care about the most. Oh Luke, you've hurt so many people who cared for you.'_

 **I decided to ask him my last big question, the one that had been bothering me all afternoon… She said I should talk to the Oracle. What was that all about?' Luke folded his knife. 'I hate prophecies.'**

"Who doesn't?" Asked Nico. The other demigods nodded and Apollo looked so upset.

' **What do you mean?'**

 **His face twitched around the scar. 'Let's just say I messed things up for everybody else. The last two years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperides went sour...'**

' _Oh no. That's the quest that I was planning to give him.' Thought Hermes._

' **Somebody special.' 'Don't worry about it, kid,' Luke said. 'Annabeth wants to think every new camper who comes through here is the omen she's been waiting for. Now, come on, it's dinnertime.'**

 **The moment he said it, a horn blew in the distance. Somehow, I knew it was a conch shell, even though I'd never heard one before.**

"Ah. One of the little perks of being Uncle Poseidon's son." Said Thalia.

 **Luke yelled, 'Eleven, fall in!' The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard. We lined up in order of seniority, so of course I was dead last… but was now starting to glow silver as the sun went down.**

Artemis had a smug smile in her face as her cabin was mentioned.

 **We marched up the hill to the mess hall pavilion… In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.**

 **At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns… Four of the tables were empty, but cabin eleven's was way overcrowded. I had to squeeze on to the edge of a bench with half my butt hanging off.**

Hermes glared at the other gods. They just looked away but Hephaestus snapped his fingers and said to Hermes, "All my children in camp are claimed now, brother."

Hermes looked surprised but smiled and thanked him. Hephaestus smiled back and added, "If your cabin is still overcrowded, I'll tell my children to create tables and benches that would extend to accommodate all the campers in cabin eleven so they can eat comfortably."

All the gods looked at Hephaestus in surprise while the demigods and Hermes smiled at him gratefully.

 **I saw Grover sitting at table twelve with Mr D, a few satyrs and a couple of plump blond boys who looked just like Mr D. Chiron stood to one side, the picnic table being way too small for a centaur.**

Dionysus sneered. "My children are not plump, Pierre."

 **Annabeth sat at table six with a bunch of serious-looking athletic kids, all with her grey eyes and honey-blonde hair.**

"Hey Athena, why do your children have blonde hair when you're not even blonde?" Asked Apollo.

Athena just raised an eyebrow at him but didn't answer.

 **Clarisse sat behind me at Ares's table. She'd apparently gotten over being hosed down, because she was laughing and belching right alongside her friends.**

 **Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent. He raised a glass. 'To the gods!'**

 **Everybody else raised their glasses. 'To the gods!'**

… **Then I had an idea. 'Blue Cherry Coke.' The soda turned a violent shade of cobalt.**

"Only you, Seaweed Brain." The other demigods and Poseidon laughed.

 **I took a cautious sip. Perfect. I drank a toast to my mother.**

Hera smiled at Percy in approval and freaked out the demigods. They exchanged glances and shuddered.

 **She's not gone, I told myself. Not permanently, anyway. She's in the Underworld. And if that's a real place, then someday…**

Hades looked at him suspiciously and Percy just shrugged.

' **Here you go, Percy,' Luke said, handing me a platter of smoked brisket.**

 **I loaded my plate and was about to take a big bite when I noticed everybody getting up, carrying their plates towards the fire in the centre of the pavilion… 'Come on,' Luke told me.**

 **As I got closer, I saw that everyone was taking a portion of their meal and dropping it into the fire…**

 **Luke murmured in my ear, 'Burnt offerings for the gods...' 'You're kidding.'**

"That's actually in the orientation film." Informed Nico.

Percy groaned and muttered, "I should have watched it. Why is it always me? So unfair."

This was heard only by the four people near him and they chuckled at him.

 **His look warned me not to take this lightly, but I couldn't help wondering why an immortal, all-powerful being would like the smell of burning food.**

 **Luke approached the fire, bowed his head, and tossed in a cluster of fat red grapes. 'Hermes.'**

 **I was next. I wished I knew what god's name to say. Finally, I made a silent plea. Whoever you are, tell me. Please.**

… **It smelled nothing like burning food… I could almost believe the gods could live off that smoke.**

"We actually can't. Ares tried and ended up in my infirmary for days." Ares glowered and everyone laughed at him.

 **When everybody had returned to their seats and finished eating their meals, Chiron pounded his hoof again for our attention. Mr D got up with a huge sigh. '…Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels.'**

 **A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table.**

Ares smirked and boasted, "That's my children, what do you expect from the kids of the god of war? They always win."

' **Personally,' Mr D continued, 'I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson.'**

Everyone looked at the demigods then at Dionysus then Aphrodite giggled. "So that's where they got that from."

Annabeth looked confused and Percy told him that Thalia and Nico yelled that to them in the start of the book.

 **Chiron murmured something. 'Er, Percy Jackson,' Mr D corrected… Everybody cheered. We all headed down towards the amphitheatre, where Apollo's cabin led a sing-along… I felt that I was home.**

In the kitchen, Hestia smiled as she heard this.

 **Later in the evening, when the sparks from the campfire were curling into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and we all filed back to our cabins. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I collapsed on my borrowed sleeping bag.**

… **When I closed my eyes, I fell asleep instantly. That was my first day at Camp Half-Blood.**

 **I wish I'd known how briefly I would get to enjoy my new home.**

"That doesn't sound good." Said Poseidon with a frown. Percy was about to say something but Hera called from the kitchen. "Dinner time!"

All the other gods went to the kitchen while Poseidon stood up and returned to his normal godly height. "Come on kids. Let's eat."

Poseidon walked ahead as the kids followed thinking, _'How are we going to eat there? We're too small.'_

As they arrived at the kitchen they saw the gods talking among themselves and there was a mortal sized long table in the center of the vacant space on the right half the room.

Ares passed by them and made the demigods jump as they were scared that the gods wouldn't see them and accidentally step on them. Percy turned on his friends and said, "I wonder if that's what ants feel when we walk by them."

"I would say your head is full of kelp but I actually think that this is exactly what they feel." Said Thalia.

Suddenly Demeter stopped near them, holding a plate of food, looked down at them and said, "Children, go and wash your hands on the sink and then choose a seat on the table. We'll just shrink the foods and utensils and prepare the table then we'll eat." Demeter walked away and the demigods went to the sink as they arrived in front of it they realized something troubling.

Annabeth was the one who voiced the problem at hand. "So how do we wash our hands? We can't fly and go up there on the sink. And climbing would probably take a lot of time."

Nico looked at Percy and asked, "Can't you use your water powers and just make the water from the sink come here to us?"

Percy shook his head. "I probably can do that but the faucet should be open first. I don't want to force the water out and risk destroying the plumbing system. You guys don't want a repeat of what happened to Clarisse, right?" The other three demigods looked at each other shook their heads no frantically.

Thalia sighed. "So what do we do?" Nico looked around and something clicked in his head. "We ask for help." The others looked at him confused then Nico pointedly looked at the gods and they figured it out.

Percy asked, "So who's going to ask them for help?" His friends deadpanned at him and his jaw dropped. "Nope. No way. Why me?"

"Because Uncle/Lord Poseidon is the best godly parent." Answered his friends. Percy still shook his head no.

Annabeth sighed. "Look here, Seaweed Brain. We don't have a choice. We need help and your dad would probably be the only godly parent who won't be annoyed at us for asking help."

Thalia nodded. "Annie is right. And besides, he'd probably be ecstatic that you asked him for help."

Percy sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll probably look like a toddler asking his father for help reaching something that he couldn't get."

Nico chuckled. "We're sort of like that right now, height-wise."

Percy then walked towards his father who was talking to Aphrodite, Hestia, Artemis, Hermes, Apollo and Hades while trying not to be stepped on by the other walking gods. His friends decided to wait near the sink. As he reached his father, he looked back to his friends and saw them trying to hold back their laughter. He scowled at them but then sighed. _'Let's get this over with.'_

Percy tugged his father's pants. _'Good thing that's he's actually wearing pants today and not his usual shorts or else I won't have anything to tug to get his attention.'_ "Dad."

Poseidon looked down at his son as soon as he heard his voice. "Do you need something, son?" All the gods that his father was talking to looked down at him too. Percy turned red and fidgeted on the spot. "Uh… Um…"

Hermes spoke. "Is there a problem, little cousin?" Percy turned redder if that was even possible. He bit his lip and then gulped and looked up to his dad, determination in his eyes but face and neck were red.

"I… Um… We… need help. Lady Demeter said we should wash our hands on the sink but we can't get up there and… Uh… I don't want to force the water out of the faucet with my powers." Percy pouted as he saw Hermes, Apollo and Hades suppressing a laugh and added, "I don't want to become supreme lord of the kitchen too."

With this Hermes, Apollo and Hades roared with laughter. Hestia and Aphrodite cooed at him while Artemis giggled. Poseidon's eyes twinkled and smiled as if he was the luckiest father on earth. And because of the laughter, Percy had the attention of all the immortals in the room. He covered his face with his hands. The demigods were laughing at Percy too. Poseidon noticed this and picked up his son then gave the other gods a stern look. "Stop laughing at my son. There is nothing wrong in asking for help. Come along, Percy. Let's get you and your friends on the kitchen sink." Poseidon placed Percy on his shoulder and Percy put down his hand to grab on his father's shirt to avoid falling although he was sure his dad wouldn't let him fall.

"That's so embarrassing. Sorry about that and thank you for not laughing, dad." Poseidon smiled at him. "Don't worry about that. I'm happy to help. I've always thought about what would have happened if I was there while you were growing up. This is one of the things that I imagined doing as your father. Thank you for giving me this opportunity." Percy just smiled at him.

Poseidon knelt down laid a palm on the floor near his son's friends. "Need a lift?" Asked a smiling Poseidon.

The demigods just chuckled and stepped on the sea god's palm. He then stood up and placed the kids on the edge of the sink then opened the faucet. "Percy, would you do the honors?" Percy nodded and he felt the familiar pull as he controlled the water from the sink to his friends' hands and towards his not worrying if a few drops fell on his father as he knew that he wouldn't get wet unless he wanted to just like him.

"All done, dad." Poseidon nodded and laid his palm again and let the demigods including his son down on the floor. He then turned back and saw all the other gods in their mortal sized selves sitting around the table. He hastily washed his hands, closed the faucet and shrunk to human size. He looked at his son and said, "Come on. Let's get seated and eat dinner."

The four demigods and Poseidon walked towards the vacant seats and proceeded to have their first dinner with the Olympians.

* * *

A/N: Dinner time for the demigods and gods! I just couldn't resist adding an extra scene for some Percy and Poseidon father and son fluff. Review! :)

~Lalabella


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you for the favorites, follows and especially the reviews. Here is chapter 9! Happy Reading! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Kitchen-2003

At first, dinner with the Olympians was just like a normal dinner with your family. It was peaceful with only a few chatters here and there but as always just when the demigods thought that dinner was going to be uneventful, it started to go downhill and fast.

Ares said something offensive to Hephaestus and this caused a fight that Aphrodite tried to stop. Soon, Hermes said something to Athena and she retaliated. Apollo being best friends with Hermes tried to defend him but said something that ended up being so dumb that Athena decided to point it out harshly therefore hurting Apollo's feelings. Artemis noticing this decided to team up with Hermes against Athena and defend her brother. Because of all the noise, Dionysus ended up snapping at Hera and Demeter who were telling him to be a better director at camp and that added another fight. And for the final fight, Zeus offhandedly said something that hurt the feelings of Percy and Nico so Hades and Poseidon teamed up against their brother. The demigods sighed. They decided to eat quietly and quickly finish their dinner. Hestia's smile turned into a frown and she suddenly stood up. Her chair dragged on the floor and it caused a loud noise. "ENOUGH."

Everyone stared at her with eyes wide and jaws dropped. Percy choked on his food and Annabeth handed him a glass of water. "Can't we just have a peaceful family dinner for once? Is this the behavior that you want to show the demigods, your children?" Hestia turned to the demigods and smiled. "Are you finished eating?" The demigods nodded an affirmation. "Good. Go back to the throne room and wait for us. We'll read two more chapters before we retire for the night. Meanwhile, I need to have a talk with your parents, aunts, uncles and cousins."

The demigods not wanting to further anger their aunt hastily stood up and as soon as they went through the door, with a wave of Hestia's hand the door slammed shut.

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

"Huh. I wonder if they're going to be alright. I've never seen Aunt Hestia like that." Percy said.

Thalia turned her back and started walking to the couch. "It's their fault. Come on. Let's go wait at the couch. We still have to tell Annie about the fight with the Minotaur." Nico and Annabeth smiled and raced each other to the couch while Percy groaned and trudged back to the couch.

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Kitchen-2003

Hestia turned her attention back to the gods and a stern look was plastered on her face.

"Now… What am I going to all of you…"

All the gods shuddered and gulped including the Almighty Zeus and God of War, Ares. There was only one thing in their minds. _'Sister/Hestia/Aunt Hestia is scary when angry.'_

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

After twenty or so minutes, the double door opened and out came all the gods. They either had a regretful look or a horror-stricken look except Hestia who was smiling and had a vibe of accomplishment around her. The demigods were all stifling their laughter as to not antagonize the gods. They all went to their places before they ate dinner and when Poseidon sat back to the bean bag, Percy leaned towards his ear and whispered, "So what happened? Lord Zeus and Ares look like they were punished to be sent to the depths of Tartarus." Poseidon just shook his head and said, "Don't ask son. It's better that you know nothing except Hestia giving them an earful."

Percy and his friends who also heard this chuckled quietly then Hestia cheerfully stood up and took the book from Hephaestus. "I'll read the next chapter. Let's start."

" **Chapter 8, We Capture a Flag…** "

The horror-stricken expression on Ares' face disappeared to be replaced by an excited grin. "Finally! Some action!" Percy frowned and murmured, "I could actually use a little less action in my life."

Thalia and Nico looked at him confused while Annabeth gave him a worried glance as she thought, _'This is going to be one painful chapter for him.'_ Poseidon also heard what his son muttered and put a comforting hand on his son's leg.

 **The next few days I settled into a routine that felt almost normal... Each morning I took Ancient Greek from Annabeth...**

"Good job, Annabeth dear." Praised Athena. Annabeth smiled brightly at her mom.

 **The rest of the day, I'd rotate through outdoor activities, looking for something I was good at. Chiron tried to teach me archery… desnag a stray arrow out of his tail.**

"Um, little cousin, where was Chiron standing?" Asked a curious Apollo. Percy rubbed the back of his head as he answered, "Behind me?"

Everyone laughed when everyone calmed down Artemis told him, "I'm sorry boy but I think even a blessing from the twin archers wouldn't help you." Apollo quietly rejoiced when he heard his sister acknowledge him.

 **Foot racing? No good either. The wood-nymph instructors left me in the dust. They told me not to worry about it. They'd had centuries of practice… little humiliating to be slower than a tree.**

All the goddesses glared at the gods and the gods all looked away whistling. Nico looked thoughtful. "When you say it like that, it's actually pretty embarrassing."

Percy sighed in relief. "Finally! Someone who understands me!" Thalia and Annabeth laughed at the two male demigods.

 **And wrestling? Forget it. Every time I got on the mat, Clarisse would pulverize me. 'There's more where that came from, punk,' she'd mumble in my ear.**

Ares smirked proudly at the feat his daughter can do.

 **The only thing I really excelled at was canoeing...**

"Well, considering who his father is, that's actually understandable." Said Aphrodite.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "I still can't believe no one figured it out. That's another hint that Uncle Poseidon is his father." Thalia nodded in agreement teasingly said, "I would think one of you would have figured it out by then." Annabeth crossed her arms and huffed at them.

 **I knew the senior campers and counsellors were watching me, trying to decide who my dad was... I wasn't as strong as the Ares kids,**

Ares growled. "I wouldn't want a wimp like you as my kid." Percy smirked. "The feeling is mutual. I wouldn't want you as my father either." Ares was planning to pounce but one look at Poseidon's face made him back down.

 **or as good at archery as the Apollo kids.**

"Sorry Percy but I think we're better off as cousins so nothing to be sad about."

"He couldn't hit a target to save his life so we actually crossed Lord Apollo as his godly parent as soon as the arrow hit Chiron who was standing behind him." Informed Annabeth. Percy groaned. "Everyone just loves to mock my archery skills."

Thalia fell off the couch laughing. "Skills? What skills, Kelp Head?" Percy playfully glared at his cousin as everyone laughed again.

 **I didn't have Hephaestus's skill with metalwork**

"I don't think you'd survive in the shop, demigod. I'm afraid that you might get accidentally crushed by a machine there." Said Hephaestus. Percy grimaced at the image formed in his head as everyone chuckled at him.

 **or – gods forbid – Dionysus's way with vine plants.**

"I don't want you as a son, Peter." Percy just rolled his eyes at Mr. D. _'No matter what he says he still cares for us demigods deep inside.'_

 **Luke told me I might be a child of Hermes, a kind of jack-of-all-trades, master of none. But I got the feeling he was just trying to make me feel better. He really didn't know what to make of me either.**

"I would be happy to be your father but as Apollo said, we are better as cousins. Just imagine all the pranks that we could do?" Hermes smirked deviously. Artemis smacked him at the back of his head and he fell off his throne. "Ow. What was that for?! That hurt!" Everyone was laughing at him as Artemis gave him a stern look.

 **Despite all that, I liked camp. I got used to the morning fog over the beach… surely there was some way to save her, to bring her back…**

"No one had successfully brought back a dead to life, nephew." Warned Hades. "Then it's a good thing that his mother isn't dead yet only taken and possibly held as a hostage." Said Athena.

 **I started to understand Luke's bitterness and how he seemed to resent his father, Hermes.**

Hermes looked down and trembled as if he remembered something bad.

 **So okay, maybe gods had important things to do. But couldn't they call once in a while…**

"I'm sorry, son." Apologized Poseidon. Percy smiled and said, "Its fine, dad. I understand everything now."

 **Thursday afternoon… I had my first sword-fighting lesson… where Luke would be our instructor.**

Hermes' head perked up at the mention of his son being the instructor for sword fighting.

 **We started with basic stabbing and slashing… my reflexes were good. The problem was, I couldn't find a blade that felt right in my hands...**

"That's highly unusual. With the number of blades in camp, at least one should have balanced for you." Informed Athena.

Poseidon hummed. "Perhaps it's because none of the swords are of the sea." Percy nodded in agreement. "Only one sword had actually balanced for me but I can still use other swords. This sword is just the one that works the best with me." Poseidon looked at Percy and then the pocket on his pants. _'Could it be Anaklusmos?'_

 **We moved on to dueling in pairs. Luke announced he would be my partner… 'Good luck,' one of the campers told me. 'Luke's the best swordsman in the last three hundred years.'**

Hermes smiled proudly. "THAT'S MY SON!" Everyone chuckled at the proud father except Nico.

Nico quietly scoffed. "Not anymore. Percy is the best swordsman there is." Percy looked to his left to see if Annabeth heard but it seems that he was the only one who did because Nico was on his right. He elbowed Nico lightly and gave him a stern look. Nico just scowled. _'I acknowledge that in the end he was a hero but I still can't forgive him for all the deaths that he caused and the pain that he gave my cousins.'_

' **Maybe he'll go easy on me,' I said.**

Thalia snorted. "As if he would. He'd destroy you, Kelp Head."

 **The camper snorted. Luke showed me thrusts and parries and shield blocks the hard way… By the time he called a break... Luke poured ice water on his head, which looked like such a good idea, I did the same.**

Thalia and Nico chortled as Annabeth stared accusingly at Percy. "Oh my gods. You cheated!"

Nico and Thalia stopped chuckling and frowned at Annabeth while Percy playfully grunted. "Give me a break. I didn't know what that would do to me. I didn't intentionally cheat."

Annabeth was about to protest some more but Thalia elbowed her. "Stop it. Luke had years of experience and Percy's just new to everything. He's sword isn't even balanced. He didn't know what that water would do to him and that just closed their gap a little bit so stop berating him."

Annabeth stared at Thalia and something dawned on her. "Don't tell me you're still… but in the end he…"

Percy cut off Annabeth as he noticed the gods listening on their conversation. "Hey guys. Now is not the time to talk about this. We have an audience." That stopped the argument as Thalia turned away from Annabeth then stood up and motioned them to move sideways to the left so she can sit beside Nico which was the opposite side of Annabeth. Annabeth frowned and Percy looked like he didn't know what to say or do so Nico looked at the gods then gestured Hestia to continue reading.

 **Instantly, I felt better. Strength surged back into my arms. The sword didn't feel so awkward.**

"Oh. So that's why Annabeth said you cheated. But I don't think you cheated because you didn't intentionally do it." Said Hermes.

"I beg to differ. I think it's still cheating but I believe that Percy shouldn't be judged badly for that because he wasn't aware of his capabilities by then. Sorry, Annabeth but I think your friend Thalia is right." Argued Athena.

Annabeth looked down sadly regretting what she said when Percy held her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. She looked up to see Percy smiling at her. "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't intend to hurt my feelings." Annabeth smiled at him gratefully.

' **Okay, everybody circle up!' Luke ordered. 'If Percy doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo.'**

 **Great, I thought. Let's all watch Percy get pounded.**

"Not likely." Argued Nico. Thalia nodded. "Give yourself some credit, Kelp Head."

 **The Hermes guys gathered around… He told everybody he was going to demonstrate a disarming technique… 'This is difficult,' he stressed. 'I've had it used against me. No laughing at Percy, now. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique.' He demonstrated the move on me..**

Ares hummed. "That's good but it doesn't always work especially if your opponent is more experienced than you."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at him. "That's the most intelligent thing that he said since we started this." Said Athena as Ares scowled at her.

Percy chuckled. "Well, he is the god of war. It means he's probably the most experienced in fighting in this room." Annabeth nodded agreed. "Huh. When you say it like that, it actually isn't that surprising."

Thalia let out a low whistle. "I never thought that there will come a day when Percy would actually defend Lord Ares." Everyone chuckled as Ares glowered. _'Great. Now, I need to be defended by some punk.'_

' **Now in real time,' he said, after I'd retrieved my weapon. 'We keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Ready, Percy?' I nodded, and Luke came after me. Somehow, I kept him from getting a shot at the hilt of my sword. My senses opened up… His eyes narrowed, and he started to press me with more force.**

"No! Sorry cousin but I'm with my son with this. Go Luke! You can do it!" Cheered Hermes.

Athena stared at him blankly. "Hermes, you're talking to a book." She was ignored.

 **The sword grew heavy in my hand. The balance wasn't right. I knew it was only a matter of seconds before Luke took me down, so I figured, What the heck? I tried the disarming manoeuvre...**

 **Clang…**

"Ha! Take that!" Cheered Thalia and Nico. Everyone but the demigods and Poseidon were gaping at Percy like a fish. Poseidon and Annabeth were smiling proudly.

"Man, I feel a little sad that my son lost but it's amazing what the water can do to you." Hermes shook his head in amusement.

Ares grunted. "I hate to admit it but you might actually have some skills, punk." Percy turned red because of the attention that he was receiving.

 **The other campers were silent. I lowered my sword. 'Um, sorry.' … 'Sorry?' His scarred face broke into a grin. 'By the gods, Percy, why are you sorry? Show me that again!' …This time, there was no contest. The moment our swords connected, Luke hit my hilt and sent my weapon skidding across the floor. …'Beginner's luck?'**

"Or he just dried off." Suggested Nico.

 **Luke wiped the sweat off his brow… 'But I wonder what Percy could do with a balanced sword….'**

"Total annihilation and destruction." Chorused the three demigods.

 **Friday afternoon, I was sitting with Grover at the lake… The hairs had been singed off my forearms.**

Thalia scrutinized Percy. "Aren't you hurt?" Percy looked at her puzzled. "Why would I be hurt?"

Nico answered. "You said the hairs on your forearms were singed off so shouldn't you be feeling even a little bit burnt?" Percy's lips formed a small 'o' and then grinned sheepishly. "Didn't I guys tell you? I can tolerate higher temperature than normal demigods. Well, not higher than cyclops because I can still get burnt. It's part of my demigod abilities as the son of Poseidon."

Nico and Thalia groaned as Annabeth chuckled. "Another perk of being the son of the sea god is discovered by the cousins." Nico pouted. "Sometimes I actually think it's unfair." Thalia nodded grimly.

Zeus narrowed his eyes at Percy. _'Why does this demigod have so many abilities? It's starting to be a little odd.'_

 **We sat on the pier, watching the naiads do underwater basket weaving, until I got up the nerve to ask Grover how his conversation had gone with Mr D. …He glanced at me nervously. 'Chiron t-told you I want a searcher's licence?' 'Well… no.' I had no idea what a searcher's licence was…**

"I hope one of the satyrs find Pan soon." Hermes said sadly.

 **Grover looked down at the naiads. 'Mr D suspended judgement...' My spirits lifted. 'Well, that's not so bad, right?' 'Blaa-ha-ha! … why would you want me along?' 'Of course I'd want you along!' I tried to reassure him… Finally, I asked him about the four empty cabins. 'Number eight, the silver one, belongs to Artemis,' he said. 'She vowed to be a maiden forever… If she didn't have one, she'd be mad.'**

"I won't be mad. I just want one for my hunters whenever they stay in camp." Artemis huffed.

' **Yeah, okay. But the other three, the ones at the end. Are those the Big Three?' Grover tensed. We were getting close to a touchy subject. 'No. One of them, number two, is Hera's,' … 'Zeus, Poseidon, Hades.'**

The three gods unconsciously straightened up as their names were mentioned.

' **Right. You know. After the great battle with the Titans, they took over the world from their dad and drew lots to decide who got what.' 'Zeus got the sky,' I remembered. 'Poseidon the sea, Hades the Underworld.' … 'No. He doesn't have a throne on Olympus, either… 'Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that.'**

Hades and Nico glared at the book. Percy lightly bumped his shoulder with Nico's and whispered, "Hey Nics. You know that he doesn't think that anymore, right?" Nico nodded sadly. "I know. It's not that. I just feel bad for my dad, you know."

Percy slung his arm on Nico's shoulder and said, "Me too but I hope things will change because of what I did." Nico smiled. "I hope so too and in case it doesn't thanks for trying anyway."

' **But Zeus and Poseidon – they both had, like, a bazillion kids in the myths. Why are their cabins empty?' Grover shifted his hooves uncomfortably. 'About sixty years ago, after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes… They all swore on the River Styx.' Thunder boomed. I said, 'That's the most serious oath you can make.' Grover nodded.**

"But my brothers still broke their oath." Chided Hades.

Nico laughed. "Which is good because I wouldn't have my cousins if they didn't." Percy and Thalia chuckled and hugged Nico who was between them. The goddesses cooed at them while Hades, Poseidon, and Annabeth looked at them fondly.

' **And the brothers kept their word – no kids?' Grover's face darkened. 'Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon… he brought a terrible fate on his daughter.'**

Hera glared at Zeus and Zeus chuckled nervously at her.

' **But that isn't fair! It wasn't the little girl's fault.'**

"I'm not a little girl, Kelp Head." Thalia glared at Percy and he just shrugged at her.

 **Grover hesitated. 'Percy, children of the Big Three have powers greater than other half-bloods… They almost made it. They got all the way to the top of that hill.' He pointed across the valley, to the pine tree where I'd fought the Minotaur. '…Her spirit still helps protect the borders of the valley. That's why the hill is called Half-Blood Hill.'**

Everyone gave Thalia sad looks and she just looked down on her lap. Nico leaned his head on Thalia's shoulder to comfort her and while Percy removed the arm that was slung on Nico to reach for Thalia's hand.

 **I stared at the pine in the distance. The story made me feel hollow, and guilty, too. A girl my age had sacrificed herself to save her friends. She had faced a whole army of monsters…**

"You know Thals…" Percy started at Thalia looked at him with a wondering look. "You've been my role model ever since I heard about your story. You're the reason why I can sacrifice myself for everyone because you were able to sacrifice yourself to save your friends." Percy smiled at the wide glassy eyed Thalia. Thalia looked down and wiped her eyes with her hand and then grinned at Percy. "Maybe sacrificing ourselves for others runs in the family?" Nico grinned proudly.

' **Grover,' I said, 'have heroes really gone on quests to the Underworld?' … 'No,' I lied. 'I was just wondering. So… a satyr is always assigned to guard a demigod?'**

"Little cousin! I need to give you subject lessons!" Yelled Hermes.

 **Grover studied me warily… He tries to keep an eye on them, since they could cause really huge problems.' 'And you found me. Chiron said you thought I might be something special.' Grover looked as if I'd just led him into a trap. 'I didn't… Oh, listen, don't think like that… Don't worry, okay?'**

"Isn't Nemesis a goddess?" Wondered Nico. Annabeth hummed. "Yeah. I think she is a goddess."

… **At last, it was time for capture the flag.**

"FINALLY!" Cheered Ares.

… **Campers yelled and cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner... I turned to Luke and yelled over the noise, 'Those are the flags?' 'Yeah.'**

' **Ares and Athena always lead the teams?'**

Ares and Athena challengingly glared at each other.

' **Not always,' he said. 'But often.' …The teams were announced. Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins...**

"Good. There is strength in numbers." Praised Athena. Ares growled.

 **Ares had allied themselves with everybody else: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite and Hephaestus. From what I'd seen, Dionysus's kids were actually good athletes, but there were only two of them.**

Dionysus snorted. "Of course they are. They're my sons, Pedro."

 **Demeter's kids had the edge with nature skills and outdoor stuff, but they weren't very aggressive.**

"Well, I sure hope so." Said Demeter.

 **Aphrodite's sons and daughters I wasn't too worried about.**

"Hey! I'm offended, Percy."

 **They mostly sat out every activity and checked their reflections in the lake and did their hair and gossiped.**

"Oh. I take that back. Sorry."

 **Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the metal shop all day. They might be a problem.**

Hephaestus smiled at the mention of his kids.

 **That, of course, left Ares's cabin: a dozen of the biggest, ugliest, meanest kids on Long Island, or anywhere else on the planet.**

Ares smirked smugly. "My children are winning this, punk. Prepare to be pulverized." No one noticed the knowing smiles on the demigods' faces.

 **Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble. 'Heroes!' he announced. 'You know the rules… No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!'**

… **Here – Chiron thought these would fit. You'll be on border patrol.' My shield was the size of an NBA backboard, with a big caduceus in the middle…**

"You were so scrawny back then." Teased Annabeth.

 **Annabeth yelled, 'Blue team, forward!' ...I managed to catch up with Annabeth without tripping over my equipment. 'Hey.' She kept marching.**

Annabeth looked apologetically at Percy as his cousins chortled.

' **So what's the plan?' I asked. 'Got any magic items you can loan me?' Her hand drifted towards her pocket, as if she were afraid I'd stolen something.**

Everyone stared at Annabeth who just shrugged. "In my defense, he could have been Lord Hermes' kids." Hermes chuckled. "You have a point but if he was my kid you wouldn't even be aware of his presence near you when he's stealing something from you."

' **Just watch Clarisse's spear,' she said… Has Luke given you your job?' 'Border patrol, whatever that means.' …She pushed ahead, leaving me in the dust.'Okay,' I mumbled. 'Glad you wanted me on your team.'**

"Well, that was a bit rude, girl." Observed Demeter.

… **Annabeth stationed me next to a little creek that gurgled over some rocks… Standing there alone… There was no way anybody would actually attack me, would they? …Far away, the conch horn blew. I heard whoops and yells in the woods... Great, I thought. I'll miss all the fun, as usual.**

Percy hummed. "Thinking about it now, I could've happily gone through the night with missing all kinds of fun."

Everyone but Annabeth and Poseidon chuckled at this. _'Why do I have a bad feeling about what my son pertained to as fun?'_

 **Then I heard a sound that sent a chill up my spine, a low canine growl, somewhere close by. …Then the growling stopped. I felt the presence retreating.**

"A growl? Maybe a camper is trying to scare you." Assumed Hephaestus.

Hades had a sudden chill on his spine. _'Why do I feel like that growl is from a monster and not a camper?'_

 **On the other side of the creek, the underbrush exploded. Five Ares warriors came yelling and screaming out of the dark. 'Cream the punk!' Clarisse screamed.**

"GREAT! A FIGHT! PULVERISE HIM, CLARISSE!" Bellowed Ares. Poseidon glared at him.

Percy groaned. "Oh man. This is going to hurt."

 **Her ugly pig eyes glared through the slits of her helmet. She brandished a two-metre spear, its barbed metal tip flickering with red light… I could run. Or I could defend myself against half the Ares cabin.**

"Don't run like a coward. You better fight, punk!" Provoked Ares.

"He's so invested on the fight. Typical Ares." Hephaestus sighed.

 **I managed to sidestep the first kid's swing, but these guys were not as stupid as Minotaurs.**

"Of course not! They're my kids!"

 **They surrounded me, and Clarisse thrust at me with her spear… Electricity. Her stupid spear was electric. I fell back.**

Percy grunted and Ares smirked at him. "HA! How do you like the taste of Maimer's electricity?"

Everyone rolled their eyes at Ares as the demigods chorused, "Lamer."

Ares glared at the demigods and asked, "What did you say?" Percy shrugged. "Nothing."

 **Another Ares guy slammed me in the chest with the butt of his sword and I hit the dirt… 'Give him a haircut,' Clarisse said. 'Grab his hair.' I managed to get to my feet. I raised my sword, but Clarisse slammed it aside with her spear as sparks flew. Now both my arms felt numb.**

"Weird. I don't feel my arms." Nico poked his right arm and Percy shook his head no. The demigods chuckled at him.

' **Oh, wow,' Clarisse said. 'I'm scared of this guy. Really scared.' 'The flag is that way,' I told her…**

"PERCY!" Annabeth was scandalized to hear this. "You never reveal the position of the flag!"

Percy sighed. "Give me some credit, Wise Girl. Who says I'm pointing at the right direction?" Annabeth calmed down.

' **Yeah,' one of her siblings said. 'But see, we don't care about the flag. We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid.'**

"YES! Go make the punk pay!" Goaded Ares.

"What happened to no maiming?!" Asked Poseidon who was now worried about his son being beaten by Ares' kids.

' **You do that without my help,' I told them. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.**

"No, it wasn't but you're right so don't regret it, Kelp Head." Percy looked at Thalia with a pained smirk. "Who says I'm regretting it?"

… **Her spear stuck me straight in the ribs. If I hadn't been wearing an armoured breast plate, I would've been shish-kebabbed… One of her cabinmates slashed his sword across my arm, leaving a good-size cut.**

"Holy Hades! That hurts a lot more than I remember!" Hades glared him. "Don't use my name as a curse!" Nico gave his father a look of disbelief. "Really dad? He's in pain and you decided to criticize him for his language?!" Hades just huffed at him.

 **Seeing my own blood made me dizzy, warm and cold at the same time.**

Percy slumped forward and Poseidon caught him. "You good, son?" Percy forced a smile. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy." Nico and Annabeth help Percy lean back on the couch.

' **No maiming,' I managed to say. 'Oops,' the guy said. 'Guess I lost my dessert privilege.'**

"WHAT?! That's the punishment for maiming?! I will talk to Chiron about this!" Shouted a panicked Poseidon. Percy put a hand on his father's shoulder. "I'll be okay dad. Let's just read on. The best is yet to come." Percy smirked at his father. Poseidon held his son's hand and calmed down.

 **He pushed me into the creek and I landed with a splash. They all laughed. I figured as soon as they were through being amused, I would die.**

Ares suddenly stood up. "What?! Finish it! Don't be careless! Eyes on the price!"

 **But then something happened. The water seemed to wake up my senses, as if I'd just had a bag of my mom's double-espresso jelly beans.**

"GO PERCY/SON! Destroy them!" Cheered Poseidon, Annabeth, Nico, Thalia, Hermes, Apollo and Hephaestus.

Hades chuckled. "Show them who's boss, nephew!" The goddess all giggled while Ares paled and sat back down.

 **Clarisse and her cabinmates came into the creek to get me, but I stood to meet them… I hit him so hard I could see his eyes vibrating as he crumpled into the water.**

Ares started to grumble to himself.

 **Ugly Number Two and Ugly Number Three came at me… Clarisse kept coming, the point of her spear crackling with energy.**

Ares gave Percy a glare. "Stop calling my kids ugly, punk!"

 **As soon as she thrust, I caught the shaft between the edge of my shield and my sword, and I snapped it like a twig.**

Ares lunged at Percy but Poseidon went back to his godly size and stopped Ares.

"Stop it Ares!" Ordered Poseidon but Ares was still trying to get to Percy suddenly Hephaestus spoke. "I thought you said that you don't fight your children's battle. What are you doing now?"

That snapped Ares from his rage induced haze and nonchalantly walked back to his throne. Poseidon smiled thankfully at Hephaestus and shrunk back to mortal size and sat back down.

' **Ah!' she screamed. 'You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!'**

Thalia grinned. "Wrong! That would be Death Breath here." Nico nodded in agreement but stopped when he realized what she said. "HEY!" Everyone laughed at the two demigods.

 **She probably would've said worse, but I smacked her between the eyes with my sword-butt and sent her stumbling backwards out of the creek. Then I heard yelling, elated screams, and I saw Luke racing towards the boundary line with the red team's banner lifted high…**

"HA! Hermes' cabin now holds the other flag! Take that, Ares!" Ares just muttered something angrily that nobody paid attention to.

' **A trick!' she shouted. 'It was a trick.' They staggered after Luke, but it was too late... The game was over. We'd won… 'Not bad, hero.' …I felt myself getting angry. I wasn't even fazed by the fact that she'd just been invisible. 'You set me up,' I said. Annabeth shrugged. 'I told you. Athena always, always has a plan.'**

Athena smiled at her daughter. "Good work, Annabeth."

' **A plan to get me pulverized.'**

"A plan nonetheless." Athena smirked as Poseidon glared at her.

' **I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in, but…' She shrugged. 'You didn't need help.'**

…' **Sword cut,' I said. 'What do you think?' 'No. It was a sword cut. Look at it.' The blood was gone… As I watched, it turned into a small scar, and disappeared… 'Step out of the water, Percy.'**

… **I came out of the creek and immediately felt bone tired...**

Percy slumped sideways to Annabeth and Annabeth tried to balance herself to keep them from falling off the couch.

' **Oh, Styx,' she cursed. 'This is not good. I didn't want… I assumed it would be Zeus.…'**

Zeus glared at her and Annabeth squeaked in fear but was stopped when Hera glared at Zeus and said, "For a good reason." Zeus fidgeted under her glare.

 **Before I could ask what she meant, I heard that canine growl again, but much closer than before. A howl ripped through the forest.**

"I knew it was something bad!" Shrieked Poseidon.

 **The campers' cheering died instantly. Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which I would realize, only later, I had understood perfectly: 'Stand ready! My bow!' …Nobody moved except Annabeth, who yelled, 'Percy, run!' …an enormous shadow with teeth – and just as it hit me, as I stumbled backwards and felt its razor-sharp claws ripping through** **my armour,**

"Arghhhh." Poseidon looked back to his son and held his right hand. Percy gripped it so hard that it hurt but Poseidon didn't even wince instead he focused on comforting his son. Thalia and Nico looked at him with worry and helplessness in their eyes because they knew that they couldn't do anything to ease the pain. Annabeth was rubbing comforting circles on Percy's back then turned to Hestia. "Lady Hestia please keep reading."

… **The monster fell dead at my feet. By some miracle, I was still alive… the monster would've turned me into fifty kilograms of delicatessen meat.**

Everyone but Ares grimaced.

…' **Di immortales,' Annabeth said. 'That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't… they're not supposed to…'**

"HADES!" Said Poseidon in an accusing tone but Hades just sighed and said, "He's inside the camp brother. I cannot send a monster inside the camp."

' **Someone summoned it,' Chiron said. 'Someone inside the camp.' Luke came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.**

Thalia and Nico scowled.

 **Clarisse yelled, 'It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!'**

"What is wrong with your daughter, Ares? Percy was the one that was attacked. Why would he be attacked if he summoned it?" Asked Artemis.

Ares shrugged. "I don't know but the kid deserved that bite." Everyone in the room except Zeus glared at him.

' **Be quiet, child,' Chiron told her… I was too tired to argue. I stepped back into the creek, the whole camp gathering around me. Instantly, I felt better. I could feel the cuts on my chest closing up. Some of the campers gasped.**

Percy sighed in relief. "That feels so much better." Everyone relaxed at this.

' **Look, I – I don't know why,' I said, trying to apologize. 'I'm sorry…'**

"You're son is weird, brother. Why would he apologize for healing?" Demeter chuckled.

 **But they weren't watching my wounds heal. They were staring at something above my head… 'It is determined,' Chiron announced. All around me, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin, though they didn't look happy about it.**

…' **Poseidon,' said Chiron. 'Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God.'**

"And the chapter is done. Last one and then we stop for the night. Who's reading next?" Inquired Hestia. Athena stood up and approached her. "I'll read, Lady Hestia." Hestia handed the book to her and she went back to her throne.

" **Chapter 9,** **I Am Offered a Quest…** "

* * *

A/N: This is probably the longest chapter that I've written so far. Review! :)

~Lalabella


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you for the favorites, follows and especially the reviews. Here is chapter 10! Happy Reading! :)

 **Matt (Guest) and Anime Princess:** Jason is going to appear but I'm sorry to say that you'll have to wait. I already planned in my head Jason's entrance to the throne room and I kind of really liked the scene I imagined so I don't want to change my plan. I feel really guilty for being selfish. I'm actually excited for Jason to appear too but we have to be patient. Pretty please? :)

 **BossbratKurama:** Thank you for always leaving a review! It always leaves me giddy with happiness for the whole day when I read your reviews. Hope you like this chapter too!

 **To All My Readers:** I just want to ask if you liked these longer chapters like the last one and this one or the shorter chapters like the first few chapters. I'm worried that some of you will get bored because of the longer chapters. Please tell me what you think. Thank you! :)

"Normal"

' _Thoughts'_

Location-Year

 **Rick Riordan Book**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and of course the parts of the book. Rick Riordan owns them. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Throne Room-2003

"Isn't it a bit early to give the child a quest? He's only been there in the camp for maybe less than a month." Asked Hera. The gods and demigods raised their eyebrows at the slight concern of the goddess to Percy. "I thought you hated demigods, wife. If it wasn't for your history with demigods, I could have sworn that we heard worry from your voice."

Hera gasped at what her husband was saying. "I'm merely stating my observation. Former demigods usually get more training than a few weeks' worth before they are sent on a quest. I am Hera, Goddess of Marriage. I do not worry for demigods who are illegitimate children of the gods."

Despite her declaration, everyone was reluctant to believe her. Hera noticed this and glared at everybody. "I don't care if you believe me. Let's just finish this chapter so we can rest." Athena started reading.

 **The next morning, Chiron moved me to cabin three. I didn't have to share with anybody…**

Apollo chuckled. "You're probably having the time of your life."

The children of the big three gods glowered while Annabeth chuckled at them.

 **And I was absolutely miserable.**

"But why?!" Whined Hermes. "Having a cabin to yourself mean that nobody would tell you what to do. You can do whatever you want in the cabin."

Apollo nodded and added, "And you don't have to share anything because you have no annoying siblings." Artemis glared at Apollo then he released a terrified squeak. "I'm not talking about you little sis. I'm talking about our other siblings."

All his immortal half siblings glared at him. Artemis just sighed. "Apollo, stop talking before you dig a deeper grave for yourself." Apollo was about to say something but decided against it and closed his mouth with a huff.

Everyone but his immortal half siblings, who were still glaring at him, laughed.

 **Just when I'd started to feel accepted… I'd been separated out as if I had some rare disease.**

The trio sighed sadly. "That is why."

 **Nobody mentioned the hellhound, but I got the feeling they were all talking about it behind my back.**

"We aren't." Percy raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay. Maybe we were but it was only in passing because you were the one we were talking about."

Percy groaned and Thalia giggled. "That doesn't make it better, Annie. I think that was actually worse."

The only response that Annabeth gave was, "Oh. Sorry."

 **The attack had scared everybody. It sent two messages: one, that I was the son of the Sea God; and two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill me…**

"Why would anyone be scared just because you're my son? I don't get violent at other demigods for no reason. I could probably say that aside from Hestia, Hermes and Apollo, I'm the most laid back god." Poseidon pouted like a child. Percy just sighed as his childish father. Everyone but Zeus, Ares and Athena chuckled at him.

Annabeth decided to explain. "No offense, Lord Poseidon but you aren't exactly laid back when someone offends or hurts your son. No matter how small the damage done to Percy was, you'd still go ballistic."

Nico nodded. "Annabeth is right. If it was just a small matter you won't actually hurt any demigod but everyone can still feel your ire because of the state of the seas and the destructive hurricanes." Thalia chimed in. "And you're the scariest among the gods when you're angry especially if your anger is about your son."

Poseidon contemplated what they said and grinned. "Huh. I think I would probably do that. Then they should just be good to my son and I'll be good to them too." Some sighed in exasperation and some chuckled in amusement at Poseidon's ever changing moods.

 **The other campers steered clear of me as much as possible... He pushed me harder than ever, and wasn't afraid to bruise me up in the process… 'Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions.'**

"That hard training that he gave me actually kept me alive for this particular quest."

"One of the few good things that he did." Muttered Thalia quietly. Nico nodded grimly. "You can say that again."

Percy sighed. _'They're still angry at Luke. Well, I can't actually blame them because Nico lost Bianca and Thalia felt betrayed. I just hope Annabeth doesn't hear them.'_

 **Annabeth still taught me Greek in the mornings... Every time I said something, she scowled at me, as if I'd just poked her between the eyes…**

Athena smiled. "Good girl." While Annabeth ducked her head and whispered to Poseidon, "I'm sorry, Lord Poseidon." Poseidon just gestured his hand as if telling her that it's alright.

 **Even Clarisse kept her distance… I'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.**

Annabeth scoffed. "You should have told her. She would have gladly fought you." Ares nodded in agreement. "And she would have beaten the living daylights out of you too."

Percy and Poseidon glared at Ares and the god of war glared back at them.

 **I knew somebody at camp resented me, because one night I came into my cabin and found a mortal newspaper dropped inside the doorway…**

 **BOY AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER FREAK CAR ACCIDENT BY EILEEN SMYTHE**

 **Sally Jackson and son Percy are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance…**

The demigods gasped. "You never told me about this." Said Annabeth.

Thalia shook his head. "There are a lot of things that he didn't tell us." Nico chimed in. "Most are very important details that he thought might worry us to death."

Percy looked away as Annabeth looked at him confused at what his cousins were saying. _'They'd probably find out everything I hid from them and they're going to fret more about me than themselves. Why did these books have to be from my point of view?'_

 **Mother and son had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car… Ms Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepson, Percy Jackson… has expressed violent tendencies in the past.**

"Oh no, he didn't. I seriously want to punch his face!" Glowered Thalia. Nico looked like he was about to murder someone. Annabeth chuckled and said, "I'll take you to see him when we return to our time." Percy looked at her in alarm. "Annabeth! No!" Protested Percy.

Thalia smirked evilly. "Take us to him, Annie. I'd like to give him a piece of my mind." Nico nodded eagerly. Percy groaned while Poseidon smiled. He was happy that his son found great friends.

 **Police would not say whether son Percy is a suspect in his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play… I wadded up the paper and threw it away…**

' **Lights out,' I told myself miserably. That night, I had my worst dream yet.**

"What did you dream about now, boy?" Asked Artemis.

 **I was running along the beach in a storm… About a hundred metres down the surf, two men were fighting. They looked like TV wrestlers, muscular, with beards and long hair…**

After a long time of not talking, Zeus' booming voice startled everyone. "I do not look like a tv wrestler!"

Hades snorted. "No you don't. You look like a rock." There was silence then the throne room was filled with laughter. Zeus turned red in anger and was planning to attack Hades when he saw the look that Hestia gave him. He suddenly paled and all anger was drained from his body.

 **I had to stop them. I didn't know why… Over the roar of the storm, I could hear the blue-robed one yelling at the green-robed one, Give it back! Give it back! Like a kindergartner fighting over a toy.**

Zeus growled and Poseidon pouted as Hera said, "That's actually a perfect description of their squabbles." All the gods nodded in agreement as the demigods stifled their laugh.

… **.I yelled, Stop it! Stop fighting! The ground shook. Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice. 'Come down, little hero,' the voice crooned. 'Come down!'**

"Hades!" Accused Zeus. Percy stopped him before he can spout more nonsense. "No, Lord Zeus. It isn't Uncle Hades." Zeus sneered at him. "Who else can it be?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you can think of someone else under the earth and is evil."

Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter and Hestia paled while Athena gasped. "You mean… You aren't… You can't possibly pertain to… him, right?" The demigods just gave Athena a blank stare and she too paled. The other gods just looked confused.

Finally, Apollo couldn't take it and asked, "Him? Who is him?" The other gods leaned forward curious to know who Athena was talking about.

Athena was about to answer when Zeus snapped out of his fear induced haze. "Quiet, Athena. The boy is telling lies. It must be Hades." Hades glared at him. "The demigod is obviously telling the truth. He can't even lie properly."

Poseidon chimed in. "You can't be seriously ignoring the possibility that he's stirring?" Zeus snapped. "Enough. We are not talking about this matter again. This issue is closed. That's Hades."

Poseidon and Hades glared at their brother. Demeter and Hestia looked terrified while Hera looked like she couldn't decide who to side with.

Thalia just shook her head in disappointment as the other demigods released an annoyed sigh. "Running away from the problem, father, will cause your downfall. Uncle Hades may be under the earth as his realm is the underworld but we all know that he isn't really evil."

Demeter snorted. "Girl, he is evil. He kidnapped my daughter, Persephone."

The throne room suddenly became darker and shadows were moving around. Percy slung his arm on Nico's shoulders and pulled him in a hug as he tucked Nico's head under his chin. "Shhh. Nico, calm down. Your powers are going haywire." Annabeth, Thalia, Poseidon, Hades and Hestia looked at Nico worriedly.

Nico took a deep breath and calm down. The shadows disappeared. He pulled away from Percy and smiled at his cousins, Annabeth, Uncle Poseidon, Aunt Hestia, and his father as if reassuring them that he's fine. Nico looked up at Demeter with stony eyes. "My father isn't evil. He did that because he loved her. I admit it is not nice that dad tricked her but your daughter has already forgiven him for that. Lady Demeter, instead of holding a grudge, why don't you try to ask what you daughter feels now? From what I can remember, she loves my dad too. And I'm not making this up because I heard that directly from Mama Seph."

Everyone couldn't believe that Nico talked back to Demeter but no one was more shocked than Demeter. "Mama Seph? She lets you call her that?"

The cousins chuckled and Percy answered her. "Of course, Lady Demeter. After all, she's the one who told Nico to get used to calling her that."

Demeter just sighed in defeat and leaned back to her throne. "I need to talk to Persephone soon and if what this demigod told us is confirmed by her, I'll forgive you little brother." Hades nodded at her and smiled triumphantly. Poseidon gave him a grin and a thumbs-up so did the demigods.

All the other gods' minds were reeling because a centuries-long grudge was suddenly water under the bridge in a matter of minutes and with just a few exchanges of words. Demeter noticing the awkward silence cleared her throat and said, "Why don't we continue reading?" Athena blinked and hastily started reading again.

 **The sand split beneath me... My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me. I woke up, sure I was falling. I was still in bed in cabin three… A storm was brewing. I hadn't dreamed that. I heard a clopping sound at the door, a hoof knocking on the threshold. 'Come in.'**

 **Grover trotted inside, looking worried. 'Mr D wants to see you.' … 'He wants to kill… I mean, I'd better let him tell you.'**

"You better not do anything bad to my son, Dionysus." Warned Poseidon.

Dionysus rolled his eyes. _'I owe the boy for making my punishment lighter so I won't but I ain't saying that out loud.'_

 **Nervously, I got dressed and followed, sure that I was in huge trouble. For days, I'd been half expecting a summons to the Big House.**

Everyone looked confused as Hestia asked, "Why?" Percy just gestured Athena to read.

 **Now that I was declared a son of Poseidon, one of the Big Three gods who weren't supposed to have kids, I figured it was a crime for me just to be alive...**

"Oh. I never thought about that when I found out about the oath." Nico agreed with Thalia. "Me too."

 **Over Long Island Sound, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil. A hazy curtain of rain was coming in our direction. I asked Grover if we needed an umbrella… But this storm… this one was huge.**

All the gods narrowed their eyes at Zeus.

… **Grover and I walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke… They were playing against invisible opponents – two sets of cards hovering in the air.**

…' **Come closer,' Mr D said. 'And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father.' A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house… 'If I had my way,' Dionysus said, 'I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames...'**

"Dionysus." The warning tone in Poseidon's voice told everyone that he would really do something to Dionysus if he harmed his son.

' **Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr D,' Chiron put in. 'Nonsense,' Dionysus said. 'Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father.'**

Thalia grinned. "Don't worry, Kelp Head. We'll feed you and take care of you if you become a dolphin." Nico nodded. "We'll have our own pet!" Annabeth just laughed at Percy.

Everyone was expecting Poseidon to be angry even Percy but they were surprised when they heard a happy hum from the sea god. Percy was horrified. "DAD! Don't tell me you're actually considering that?"

Poseidon smiled at his son. "Well, if you get turned into a dolphin, I can keep you in Atlantis without breaking any laws. I can take care of you, keep you safe and spend time with you." Percy was opening and closing his mouth like a fish then everyone roared with laughter even Zeus and Ares.

Thalia wiped a tear from her eye and said, "Uncle Poseidon, you must let us visit too so we can play with our cousin." Another wave of laughter ensued.

When Percy recovered he glared at everybody. "Stop! I'm not going to be a dolphin! Nope. No way. Let's continue reading, please."

' **Mr D –' Chiron warned… 'I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson...'**

… **The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a holograph, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.**

 **Chiron smiled at me, but he looked tired and strained. 'Sit, Percy, please. And Grover.' … 'Tell me, Percy,' he said. 'What did you make of the hellhound?' … 'It scared me,' I said. 'If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead.'**

Artemis nodded in approval. _'Good, a male demigod that isn't scared to admit his weakness. He's definitely different from the heroes of the past.'_

' **You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done.' … 'Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?' … 'Um, sir,' I said, 'you haven't told me what it is yet.'**

Athena hummed. "Good. You should know the details first so you can plan ahead and gauge the severity of the problem. He definitely got his brain from his mother." Poseidon ruffled Percy's hair and agreed. "That he did."

 **Chiron grimaced. 'Well, that's the hard part, the details.' … 'Poseidon and Zeus,' I said. 'They're fighting over something valuable… something that was stolen, aren't they?'**

Apollo leaned forward. "We'll finally find out what was stolen!"

Artemis smacked him upside the head. "You idiot! You're not supposed to be happy that something was stolen from the gods. That's probably something important and dangerous."

… **My face felt hot. I wished I hadn't opened my big mouth. 'The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting...' … 'Only the Oracle can determine.' Chiron stroked his bristly beard. 'Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt.'**

The demigods covered their ears way before Athena stopped reading while the gods barely had time to cover theirs when Zeus' voice echoed on the walls of the throne room.

"WHO STOLE MY MASTER BOLT?!" Nobody answered but Zeus wasn't about to let this go so he grabbed his master bolt and pointed it at Percy. Poseidon was back to his full height in a split second and pointed his trident at his brother. "Lower down you weapon, Zeus. You can ask my son and his friends without trying to threaten to blast them to pieces." Zeus wasn't afraid of fighting Poseidon but when Hades stood up to stand beside the sea god, he reluctantly lowered his weapon. He knew he was outnumbered.

"Sit down, little brother." Ordered Hades. Zeus sat down. Satisfied, he returned to his throne while Poseidon shrunk down and sat on the bean bag and turned to his son. "Son, can you tell us who stole your uncle's weapon?"

Percy lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, Lord Zeus but we cannot tell you for the Fates forbade us from doing so but I can assure you that you'll find out as we progress on my quest. And you don't have to worry. It will be returned to you." Zeus stiffly nodded and Athena took this as a sign to continue reading.

…' **Do not take this lightly,' Chiron warned. '…I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives.' … 'Zeus's master bolt,' Chiron said, getting worked up now. 'The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned… the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers.'**

…' **Stolen,' Chiron said… 'By whom' Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. 'By you.'**

Zeus was about to have another fit but Hera said, "Husband, we have been reading about the life of this demigod. If he had stolen the bolt, it should have been revealed in the early chapters instead we learned that he knew nothing about us until he reached camp."

"I agree with Lady Hera, father. I also do not believe that the Sea Spawn is the thief. Besides, thievery is not Old Barnacle Beard's style." Added Athena. That effectively pacified Zeus' ire.

 **My mouth fell open. 'At least' – Chiron held up a hand – 'that's what Zeus thinks… Now a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly – that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it.' … 'Patience and listen, child,' Chiron said. 'Zeus has good reason to be suspicious… Zeus believes he has found his thief.'**

' **But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!'**

Zeus glared at Percy. Said demigod squeaked and gripped his father's shoulder. Poseidon glared back at Zeus. Everyone else just chuckled at the exchange.

Hades grinned. "Now I can see what Annabeth meant when she said that my brother loves to spoil his son."

…' **Er, Percy…?' Grover said. 'We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky.'**

"Listen to the satyr, boy." Demanded Zeus.

' **Perhaps paranoid,' Chiron suggested.**

Zeus gasped. He was scandalized that Chiron would dare say that. "I am not paranoid!"

Everyone snorted at him and thought, _'Drama Queen.'_

' **Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam…' …How could anyone accuse me of stealing a god's weapon? I couldn't even steal a slice of pizza from Gabe's poker party without getting busted...**

Hermes chuckled. "Definitely not my son."

' **Something about a golden net?' I guessed. 'Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods… they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?'**

' **Correct,' Chiron said. 'And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since… And now, you've come along – the proverbial last straw.' … 'But I didn't do anything. Poseidon – my dad – he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?'**

 **Chiron sighed. 'Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style… Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?'**

Hestia frowned. "If it was that bad already, I don't think we could have stopped them from fighting."

…' **Imagine the world in chaos… Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight.' 'Bad,' I repeated.**

"We have to improve your vocabulary, Seaweed Brain. And the only way to do that is for you to read books." Percy groaned as his cousin laughed at his misery.

' **And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath.' It started to rain…**

All the gods stared in displeasure at Zeus then Demeter yelled, "Don't take it out on our children, you overgrown brat!"

Everyone gasped and was worried that Zeus might attack Demeter. Zeus grunted. "I would let that pass because you're my elder sister." Demeter huffed. "Good. You better remember that. Even though you saved us, you are still the youngest. We don't always ask for it but sometimes show some respect."

Hestia and Hera chuckled at this while Hades and Poseidon saw Demeter in a new light. Demeter grinned at her siblings as Zeus grumbled to himself.

 **I had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of me.**

"Don't blame yourself, Perseus. It's not your fault for having a paranoid and vindictive uncle." Comforted Hephaestus.

Artemis shook her head. "Those two traits are one of the worst combinations that someone can have."

Zeus glared at the two who just ignored him.

 **I was furious.**

The demigods paled then Nico said in a terrified voice, "That's not good. An angry Percy is a very scary and lethal Percy." Somehow most of the gods believed that and trembled at the thought. Hermes chuckled nervously. "He isn't that scary right? I mean you guys must just be exaggerating. And he's so laid back like Uncle P."

Thalia deadpanned at Hermes. "You should have all seen an angry Uncle Poseidon, right? Think about who his son is and how much alike they are based on the short time you've spent with us reading this book. Now tell me how high is the chances that they'd be alike in that aspect too?" Everyone gulped and Thalia continued. "Can you imagine how scary he is now?"

Everyone stared at Percy but he just nonchalantly shrugged at them. "As long as you don't harm my family and friends, we're good. So you don't have to be so terrified. Besides, you're gods, immortal beings that I could never kill. You don't have to be so scared of a mortal that you can kill in a snap of your fingers."

Zeus' eyes glinted as did Ares but Poseidon noticed this and warned them. "But they have to be wary of the immortal being that is your father if they even dared to harm a single strand of hair on your head."

Athena noticing the rising tension in the room started to read.

' **So I have to find the stupid bolt,' I said. 'And return it to Zeus.'**

"My bolt isn't stupid!" Protested Zeus. Everyone ignored him and some even rolled their eyes at him.

' **What better peace offering,' Chiron said, 'than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?'**

…' **I believe I know.' Chiron's expression was grim… 'Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?' 'Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge.' … 'You agree then?'**

 **I looked at Grover, who nodded encouragingly. Easy for him. I was the one Zeus wanted to kill.**

Thalia scowled. "Actually, father wants to kill him too."

' **All right,' I said. 'It's better than being turned into a dolphin.'**

' **Then it's time you consulted the Oracle,' Chiron said. 'Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more.'**

… **By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy… she'd been dead a long, long time.**

"My poor oracle. She used to be so beautiful." Whined Apollo. No one but Percy noticed Hades flinched.

 **Looking at her sent chills up my back… Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask. I wanted to say, No thanks, wrong door, just looking for the bathroom.**

Everyone laughed as Nico said, "Only you, Perce. Only you."

 **But I forced myself to take a deep breath. The mummy wasn't alive… But its presence didn't feel evil… It felt more like the Three Fates I'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful and definitely not human. But not particularly interested in killing me, either.**

 **I got up the courage to ask, 'What is my destiny?'**

Percy nervously snuck a glance at Annabeth. Annabeth didn't notice this but his cousins did. The two looked at each other and had an understanding. They will talk to Percy later when Annabeth wasn't there. For now, they'll help their nervous cousin who looked like he might pee in his pants.

Thalia whistled. "I never pegged you to be someone who's into cliché lines, Kelp Head."

Percy relaxed when Annabeth hadn't reacted but grunted as he processed what Thalia said. "What was I supposed to say, Pinecone Face?"

Nico pretended to think and suggested, "How about 'where is the master bolt?'?" The gods chuckled.

"Or 'how do I find the master bolt?'?" Chimed Annabeth. Now, it was a full blown laughter. Percy groaned and buried his face on his hands. "Is today Pick on Percy Day? Because somebody didn't even think of informing me so I could've hid in my mom's house instead of being here."

Nobody answered him because they were busy laughing. When Athena calmed down, Athena started reading again after wiping tears from her eyes that was caused by laughing too hard.

 **The mist swirled more thickly… Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies.**

All laughter stopped and everyone frowned at the mention of the disgusting mortal.

 **My fists clenched… It was an illusion, made out of mist. Gabe turned towards me and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.**

"West? Isn't that where Uncle H is?" Asked Hermes. Percy sighed. He was getting tired of everyone blaming his uncle who was actually also a victim of the thief and his master. "It isn't Uncle Hades. It's someone else."

 **His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.**

Zeus' gloomy mood disappeared as he smiled happily and fondly looked at his Master Bolt.

 **The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.**

"That's not good. Who's that friend?" Artemis wondered.

 **Finally, Eddie, our building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.**

Zeus scowled. "I thought my master bolt will be safely returned." Poseidon shook his head. "Obviously, your bolt isn't what matters the most for my son."

Zeus sputtered. "But my bolt is the most important thing there is in the world."

Hades snorted. "Shut up, Drama Queen. Believe it or not, the world doesn't revolve around you. We have our own lives."

 **The figures began to dissolve. At first I was too stunned to say anything, but as the mist retreated… I cried, 'Wait! What do you mean? What friend? What will I fail to save?' …I got the feeling that I could stand here until I had cobwebs, too, and I wouldn't learn anything else. My audience with the Oracle was over.**

Apollo shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry cousin but that's all my oracle can tell you."

… **I slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. 'She said I would retrieve what was stolen.'**

… **My ears were still tingling from the reptilian voice. 'She… she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned.'**

… **He studied my face. 'Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass.'**

 **I got the feeling he knew I was holding back something bad, and he was trying to make me feel better.**

"He knew, Seaweed Brain. He just didn't want to push you if you didn't want to tell him."

' **Okay,' I said, anxious to change topics. 'So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?'**

' **Ah, think, Percy' Chiron said. 'If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?'**

… **I thought about my dreams, the evil voice that had spoken from under the ground. 'Hades.'**

 **Chiron nodded. 'The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility.'**

Hades glowered. "Why am I always the one being blamed? I don't even want that stupid bolt."

Percy looked down. "Sorry Uncle."

All the gods looked surprised at what Percy said. Hades stared at him skeptically. He was trying to discern the sincerity in his apology. He then smiled and said, "Nonsense, nephew. You just guessed it was me because of the bad things that other people have said about me. And despite others thinking that you're dumb, you perceptive. You've picked up on the guesses of the people around you and the god they were suspicious of was unfortunately me."

Athena stared at Percy with interest and thought before she started reading again, _'These demigods especially the Sea Spawn are changing the gods one by one for the better.'_

…' **A Fury came after Percy,' Chiron reminded him. 'She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades.' … 'A hellhound got into the forest,' Chiron continued…**

"I don't hate all heroes. Well, not anymore." Said Hades as he glanced meaningfully at the oblivious demigods then continued, "Alecto and the Minotaur were most probably be sent by me but that hellhound, I'm sure it isn't me."

' **Great,' I muttered. 'That's two major gods who want to kill me.' … 'Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt,' Chiron insisted. 'He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon… Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth.'**

 **A strange fire burned in my stomach. The weirdest thing was: it wasn't fear. It was anticipation… I was ready to take him on.**

Hades raised an eyebrow at his nephew. Percy just sheepishly grinned at him. Nico chuckled quietly as he remembered something that happened in the Underworld involving his father and favorite cousin.

 **Besides, if my mother was in the Underworld… Whoa, boy, said the small part of my brain that was still sane. You're a kid. Hades is a god. Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato crisps…**

' **Look, if we know it's Hades,' I told Chiron, 'why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads.'**

' **Suspecting and knowing are not the same… Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?' 'You're saying I'm being used.'**

' **I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you.'**

"Chiron worded it out wrong. I wouldn't claim you just because I need something to be done. I've wanted to claim you since you were born. I was probably itching to tell the world that you're my son by that time." Explained Poseidon. Percy blushed then groaned when everyone chuckled at him. "I know that. We already talked."

 **My dad needs me. Emotions rolled around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope. I didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed me.**

…' **And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days.' 'That's about right.'**

"That's a tight schedule you have, Percy." Observed Hephaestus.

Ares snorted. "Well, they obviously successfully finished the quest. If they didn't, they wouldn't be here now. Father would have blasted them if they failed. That punk and the Athena spawn don't look like twelve year olds now and they were twelve in that book. Our half-sister is still a tree and that doom and gloom punk hasn't even appeared yet. It just means they come from the time that is way after the events of this book."

Everyone stared at Ares stunned as Hephaestus mockingly said, "Would you look at that. Your brain does work even though it so rare that we've forgotten that you have one." Ares sneered and before a fight broke out Athena cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

' **You don't have to go,' I told him. 'I can't ask that of you.' …He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminium bits off his T-shirt. 'You saved my life, Percy. If… if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down.' I felt so relieved I wanted to cry… I wasn't sure what good a satyr could do against the forces of the dead, but I felt better knowing he'd be with me.**

… **Chiron looked surprised. 'I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles.' 'Oh,' I said. 'Naturally. So we just get on a plane –'**

' **No!' Grover shrieked. 'Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?'**

 **I shook my head, feeling embarrassed. My mom had never taken me anywhere by plane…**

' **Percy, think,' Chiron said. 'You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an aeroplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive.' Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.**

Thalia sighed. "It's weird. We are welcome to go to the underworld to visit Nico when he is visiting his father and stepmother. Nico and I can go swimming in the sea anytime. But you and Nico can't board a plane to travel even if statistically that's the safest way to travel." Everyone pointedly looked at Zeus but he just stared back at them defiantly.

But suddenly the attention was turned to the demigods as Poseidon asked Percy, "You've been to the underworld?" The cousins smiled but Annabeth was the one who answered. "Yes. But only the three of them have the permission from Lord Hades to come and go. I've only been there once."

All the gods just shook their heads in resignation and thought, _'These demigods are full of surprises.'_

' **Okay,' I said, determined not to look at the storm. 'So, I'll travel overland.'**

' **That's right,' Chiron said. 'Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help.'**

' **Gee,' I said, feigning surprise. 'Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?'**

 **The air shimmered behind Chiron.**

Athena paled. "Oh no."

 **Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.**

' **I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain,' she said. 'Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up.'**

' **If you do say so yourself,' I said. 'I suppose you have a plan, Wise Girl?'**

 **Her cheeks coloured. 'Do you want my help or not?'**

 **The truth was, I did. I needed all the help I could get.**

' **A trio,' I said. 'That'll work.'**

Nico chortled. "It's a good thing Annabeth volunteered. She's one of the few people who can keep you in line." Annabeth chuckled.

Percy raised his eyebrow. "One of the few? So who are the others?"

Thalia smirked. "Who else, Kelp Head? Of course, it's me and Nico. Probably, Aunt Hestia, Uncle Poseidon, Lady Amphitrite, and Aunt Sally."

' **Excellent,' Chiron said. 'This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own.'**

 **Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.**

' **No time to waste,' Chiron said. 'I think you should all get packing.'**

Athena closed the book. Hestia stood up and said, "Okay. Time for bed everyone. I'll just arrange the demigods' rooms. Kids, stay here for a while. I'll be back in a jiffy." Hestia playfully smiled at the demigods as they smiled back and nodded. She then walked out of the throne room.

Annabeth turned to her friends. "Hey guys, I'll just go to my mom. She looks like she wants to tell me something." Her friends just nodded and she went towards Athena.

Thalia then pulled Percy and Nico into a corner. "Hey Kelp Head. Annabeth doesn't know about you meeting the Fates?"

Percy looked panicked for a second then it was gone was replaced by a guarded expression and a raised eyebrow. "Where did you get that from?"

Nico scoffed. "Don't lie, Percy. You as bad as Grover. We saw you panic when the meeting with the fates was mention in passing when you talked to the oracle."

Percy sighed. "I think I might really go to Hermes' lying lessons. She doesn't know. Please don't tell her. She'll just fret and it isn't even necessary."

Thalia was outraged. She was about to yell but the look Percy gave her made her grit her teeth and angrily said in a quiet voice, "Unnecessary you say? You're destined to die! How is the worry we have for you unnecessary?" Nico nodded in agreement and chimed in. "You need to value your life more. I know you would say our life is more important that yours but that isn't true. All our lives are important. We don't die for each other. We live for each other. Got that?"

Percy just smiled at his cousins. "Got it, Nics. Just trust me, please? I won't die. I promise."

Thalia and Nico stared for a while then sighed in defeat. They decided to trust their cousin and agreed not tell Annabeth about the Fates.

Not a moment later, Hestia peeked through the slightly open door and called for the demigods. They then noticed that most of the gods were nowhere to be seen. Annabeth bid her mother good night and went to meet Hestia and the other demigods at the door as Athena flashed and disappeared.

600th Flr. Empire State Building-Mt. Olympus Demigods' Quarters-2003

They were led through the hallways and after a couple of minutes they arrived in front of a mortal sized double door. When they entered, they saw a lounge area and a fireplace. There was a door on both sides of the room. On the right was a single pink door and on the left was a single blue door.

"This is where you'll be staying at night until we finish all the books. Everything here is mortal size so you won't have any problem. I've talked to everyone and they consented to my demands. Tomorrow, we'll all be in mortal size, even the thrones in the throne room. I assume we are a little bit intimidating when we are in our godly size. The kitchen will be mortal size too so that the mishap tonight before dinner wouldn't happen again." Percy turned red as his friends laughed at him. Hestia giggled and continued, "Though your father tried to protest because he wanted you to keep asking him for help for things like that, I managed to convince him that you'd probably die in embarrassment if you had to do that every day. As he have said, 'Oh no. My son's life is more important than my selfish desires. I agree with your demands, sister.'"

Percy groaned but he was obviously pleased with his father. Hestia then pointed to the pink door and said that the girls will sleep in that room and the boys in the room with the blue door. With that Hestia hugged the demigods and bid them good night. She flashed out as the demigods chorused, "Good night, Lady/Aunt Hestia."

After that the demigods said their goodnights. Nico and Thalia started walking to their respective rooms. Annabeth kissed Percy's cheek. "Good night, Seaweed Brain." Percy hugged her and kissed her forehead. "Good night, Wise Girl."

The boys slept as soon as they hit their beds but the girls stayed up for a little while.

"Hey Thalia, I'm sorry about a while ago. Are you still mad at Luke?" Asked Annabeth.

Thalia tensed. "Forget what happened. I just got mad that you accused Percy like that for Luke. I know he was a hero but I still can't forgive him. He betrayed us. He tried to kill you. He tried to kill Percy multiple times. Percy, my cousin! He got so many people killed and that includes Bianca, my other cousin! I just can't forgive him that easily. I'm sorry, Annie. Can we just sleep? I don't want to talk about him." Annabeth looked at her sadly and nodded.

They said good night to each other and fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Okay. I think just broke my record for longest chapter ever written in all of my stories. When I first wrote this chapter it was really really short but when I decided to add more scenes, coz I wasn't satisfied with its length, it got longer than I expected. Hope you guys didn't get bored. Review! :)

~Lalabella


End file.
